Power is very intoxicating, very tempting, sometimes misleading and other times overwhelming. The taste of power is so sweet that those in it, do not want to let go of it. They enjoy every bit of it because they can shortcut some protocols and bend some rules. When a person gets hold of power, it gives the person some privileges.
Let me give you a very simple example of what power can do.
What do you think will happen if a first class Nigerian king takes alcohol and get filled, while he was still struggling with being tipsy, he saw a man and told his guard to behead him and bring his head in a very nice plate the next day before he wakes up. Either you like it or not, the head will be on the plate before the next day, although the king was talking under the influence of alcohol, the guards will not see it that way.
That is how far possessing power can be.
Power Possessors are Mostly Leaders
It is very rear to see a goat claim supremacy in the den of lions, it is not virtually impossible to see slaves imprison kings. This is just the right words to use. In most cases, in order to possess one form of authority or power, leadership is always involved.
A leader is meant to be a steward and a mentor, so in other to put things right, they have to possess a certain amount of authority and power.
Listening Is A Strong Attribute
Although leaders are given the power to make and take decisions, good leaders are meant to be naturally great listeners. Great leaders are not tyrants, they do not impose their views on others, rather they ask for opinions and help.
No one has a monopoly of good ideas
You are in power does not mean you are the best in your time or amongst your colleagues and subordinates.
Every Leader Is Answerable To An Higher Authority which Is Your Followers
You are the face your people know, and you are the one appointed to rule and lead them, but do not forget that either you are in a democratic or tyrannical community, you can rule over yourself, you cannot possess power over yourself. you need followers to stand firm.
Do Not Beat The Child Because You Can
This is just a sound note of warning and a call to leader all around the world to consider the fact that they are leading people and not themselves if there were no followers, there I will be no leader. A good leader is a leader that decides to spare a child because he sees the child changing and taking a new life for good, rather than beat the child consistently and allowing the child become adamant. A Good leader is a people's power leader and not a people oppressor leader.
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Nigerian politicians.. Learn from this. Nigerian leaders you are stewards that are to be held accountable by the citizens and not tin gods to be worshipped. Good one @gbenga
The Nigerian politician does not care about your opinion of his character. It is chop I chop, it is not that they don't know how leaders are to act.
They get to travel to foreign countries, they see how effective the systems are. In fact, they become lost in the numbers and are just a face. No power or official detail attached, just a face.
But then, they come back and lord their status over us. Why? Cos they paid their ways up there, and are not accountable to you or anyone.
Election would come next year, you would see how communities will vote massively for a particular candidate simply because money had gone round.
And so the cycle continues. It simple trade by barter, they getting what they paid for
That's the point, leaders are not gods or the almighty. They are stewards and should be held accountable by the citezen
A good one... Power indeed is into
xicating
Thanks a lot. I'm glad to have you on my blog page.
Im Most gladen to follow you
yh power is realy intoxicating. thats why we need leaders and not rulers. leaders that understand they are no better than their followers, they are only in position for order. No human is superior to the other. thanks @gbenga, nice post.
We need to start learning leadership trait from the grass root, so when we get to the top, leading will not be an issue.
As much as we blame the power possessors,there's a need to also allocate a portion of it to the many led ones who think being submissive implies being a doormat. Too many indiviaduals,for want of the crumbs that fall from these ones table,live basically as slaves of the power drunks. Sometimes,all that's needed is a bit of self-knowledge and esteem.
I couldn't agree less with you, you just hit the nail on the head.
Some leaders who just have the mere privilege of leading tend to forget they are to speak and work in favour of their followers but rather derive pleasure in oppressing them. Well destiny always have a way of rewarding them.
As for the kids, people always think the best way of correcting them is using the rod but personally, I've come to realise that kind words of correction and encouragement influences them physcologically and mentally...
Great post @gbenga
Thanks a lot for contributing. I'm glad you shared with us.
You welcome. I appreciate..
This is very insightful! I usually say that being a leader is no child's play, no matter the capacity it is because whether you like it or not you are impacting lives so its left to you to do so positively or negatively
You just made a brilliant point which I agree with. Thanks a lot
Awesome post
thanks a lot
If there were no followers, then their would be no leaders. I wish all our leaders, I mean all people in power should know this , they have been put in those positions to serve us not themselves
Listening is a strong attribute. I love this point . We are no monopoly of idea, listening from our subordinates does not make us weak rather gives us more ideas to choose from
Awesome post in all
Thanks @promize123 for your contribution. Leadership is service and stewardship and not tyranny
Power among Africa Leaders is always intoxicating to them. That's why they find it very hard to step down from position leading to power tussle.
As d saying goes: when 2 elephants fight, d grass and the trees suffer
This has contributed to the many failed states in Africa
Yes, show me a great wise leader and I'll show you a humble and a good listener.
Nice one brother.
Thanks a lot my friend. The good leader is a good listener with wise companies of people
Awesome post,power in the wrong hand is dangerous
Thanks a lot @solomonpeter
There is power in the hand of a leader but the sense of accountability and responsibility is what is needed to use this power. He may decide to exert an act of turanny, absolutism,autarchy or despotism; all because he has the authority to do so. But karma has its way of getting back at such totalitarian.
Some attain the position of leadership out of dexterity and very unhandy, hence they do not merit it. Such persons however has violated the leadership principle and protocol and can never put up leadership etiquette to meet expectations of people.
I'm caught by this topic.
Great work @gbenga.
Wellsaid. To abuse power is the worst type of evil.
No one has a monopoly of good ideas- well writing bro
Thanks. We learn from one another on a daily basis.
Thanks for reading my blog
You are in power does not mean you are the best in your time or amongst your colleagues and subordinates.- good one @gbenga
The taste of power is so sweet that those in it, do not want to let go of it.- that is right @gbenga
Power sometime intoxicate people, but don't be carry away with it, because you don't what know can happen in second. Never look down on people because you are the top today. Nobody knows tomorrow.
@gbenga, you really made strong points there about power and leadership, but though power intoxifies alot, but a self awared and mature mind can never misuse the power within their reach but will rather manage it effectively by being of service to others, knowing that true leadership means serving and leading by example.
Our country Nigeria for instance, we don't have a mature leader yet, all we have is big criminals appearing in form of leaders.
THANKS FOR THE WISDOM SHARED
Leader are meant to be pace setters and not power hunters and slave masters. The problem is when we talk about leaders, an average African point fingers at those with political affluence but we need to go down to the root. Far down to the woman selling peanut, we all need to learn the leadership trait because those at the top started from the bottom one time.
yes boss, it's true that charity begins at home and our leaders started from somewhere, I agree with you, but also starting to do this ammendment from ourselves and our home will go a long way to enhance the development of leadership role in our society.
When someone becomes so intoxicated with power, the person makes a fool of himself. Because he doesn't listen or make room for the opinion of others, his 'followers' will allow him make decisions that will lead to his down fall.
surely true! nice comment.
Leadership is not tyranny. Power should not be abused. A power drunk leader is a failed leader already
Strong points here, thing is we should know all these. This principles should be at least etched in our brains but look at the society we live in. An appointed politician is automatically a lord in his community and moves about with escorts and official details.
After his first tenure, he pays for our votes and again we put him back in the seat. Is it that we don't know how power drunk he is, of course we do. But poverty and illiteracy cloud our judgements. I personally think that until poverty and illiteracy is eradicated from the system, African countries will continue to have power drunk leaders.
Or how do you hold one accountable for his misdeeds when you don't even see it as a wrong. How do you not collect money from them, when you barely earn enough to eat?
Such is the predicament that has befallen these countries.
I know the entire community of steemit is seeing this. Its indeed one i a kind.
Stormed your article today and it reminded me of my days in Nysc during my pgd days when we learnt the similarities and differences that exist between Influence, Power, authority and motivation. Its interesting and i love it.