The words ‘power’ and ‘authority’ are both associated with managers and leaders, and they tend to be used interchangeably. In reality, there is quite a difference between the two. Power is the ability to make someone do things regardless of whether or not they want to. Consider making employees perform certain tasks at work under the condition that compliance will let them keep their jobs. Authority, on the other hand, is the skill of using your personal influence to get someone to willingly do what you want.
It may be difficult to grasp the distinction at first glance, but there’s definitely a difference – and good leaders are all about authority, not power. Power is easier by design. It can be bought and sold, and it can be given and taken away. Power can get the job done, and you can ride the power train for a few years, but it will not bring consistent results for very long. Power has the tendency to damage relationships, and it does nothing to inspire.
Authority, on the other hand, is about our personal character and the influence we build with others. It requires a lot of work and ongoing efforts, but the payoffs are well worth it. Authority inspires performance and fosters healthy relationships – it’s authority (not power) that will bring long-term success.
When contemplating the ideas of authority and power, consider how you may respond to doing something because you have to versus because you want to. It’s human nature to put more effort into what we want to do than those things that we have to do. Would you respond in the same way to someone that you respect and/or admire as you would to someone that you fear or resent? Power may get things done, but authority will inspire more effort and better things. Effective leaders know the difference and use their efforts to lead with authority not power.
