Leadership and Power

To describe the relationship between leadership and power, I decided to look at our dear friend Luma and how she makes “Leadership Everyone’s Business”.

Luma uses her power effectively. While she has legitimate, coercive, and reward power from being a coach, she also has expert power and reference power. Luma’s expert power stems from her knowledge of soccer, but also from her knowledge of American society, which helps her to be effective while helping the families of her players. She helps them cope with uncertainty. Her reference power is from being a role model for her players. Being the only soccer team for refugees in her area, the players and their families are dependent on Luma and there is no substitute.

Power depends on culture, and this is where Luma sets herself apart. With players from many different cultures, Luma is an effective leader by making leadership each of her players’ business. This means that each player is considered a role model for the others so each is held to high standards. Luma encourages her players, who are “all ages, backgrounds, and have different experiences to seize opportunities that lead to greatness.” To empower her players, Luma expresses confidence, encourages initiative and responsibility (players are responsible for being at practice), and practices collaboration.

Luma being a good role model

Studies show that a more equal distribution of power increases the performance of an organization. Empowerment such as letting employees monitor their own work and set their own deadlines helps distribute power, causing each person that is empowered to be a leader. This makes leadership everyone’s business.

The other side of power... Corruption!

Saddam Hussein

Adolf Hitler

Tiger Woods

Martha Stewart