Nota de un multiplicador en F p

no room for a contribution of ideas and solutions by subordinates.

A lack of teamwork. When people are not encouraged to work together, are pitted against one another, and are excluded from the mission of a company or organization, they will usually retreat into their “corners” and take on an attitude of self-preservation. This separation and estrangement can lead to unnecessary repetition of tasks, suspicion, apathy, power struggles, and decreased productivity.

An absence of appreciation and credit.

Authoritarian power is not concerned with the contributions of subordinates except to make sure that they have completed their tasks. Those who wield such power don’t credit those who have played a role in successes, but they are quick to blame others when there are mistakes and losses.

All those who “lead” in this way may have plenty of employees or workers, and even colleagues, but they also have few or no followers or leaders-in-training—without whom they cannot become real leaders. Authoritarian power nullifies people’s potential and stifles them spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and sometimes physically.

Common Responses to a Flaunting of Power Those who use authoritarian methods lack followers who

are developing into leaders. This is due to three highly predictable responses to their abuse of power:

1. Resistance (Fight): When someone is pushed by someone else, the natural reaction is almost always to push back. Authoritarian power can lead to resentment, angry confrontations, and emotional outbursts.

2. Resignation (Flight): Most of us do not enjoy fighting, and we certainly do not like a steady diet of it. When faced with a relationship characterized by continual conflict, we try to get away from it.

People may temporarily tolerate an unpleasant environment, hoping that it will change. But as that hope wanes, those who find more promising environments tend to leave.

3. Submission (Succumbing to Pressure): Of the three alternatives, the saddest and most depressing is this one. In some cases, subordinates function in a way that is almost subhuman. In an attempt to avoid conflict and risk, submissive subordinates make little or no effort to think or to contribute to the organization.

Leadership Principles for Empowering Others Obviously, authoritarian power leaves much to be desired.

As a leader, you can cultivate others by keeping in mind the following empowerment principles:

Leadership Is a Commitment to People True leadership never exists for itself. A leader who empowers others recognizes their value. He does not attempt to clone them or to make everyone else over in his image. His deep desire is to help them discover themselves and deploy their abilities, talents, gifts, and potential. To him, as long as people who work together have the same goals, it is not important that they have the same personalities and ways of accomplishing things.

What is your attitude toward your colleagues, employees, friends, and family members? Do you expect others to think and act exactly as you do? Or do you recognize and appreciate their individual personalities, gifts, and contributions? Do you acknowledge the distinct ways in which people may accomplish the same task according to their personalities?

Leadership values the unique styles and skills of each person who contributes to the whole.

Leadership Promotes Teamwork A leader’s vision cannot be accomplished with an individualist attitude. No great work was ever done by just one person. The Charlie Chaplin film Metropolis depicts workers as mere cogs in the chain of industry. Yet, the basic function of the leader (after inspiring others in his vision) is to provide an environment that fosters mutual respect and builds a complementary, cohesive team where each unique strength is made productive and each weakness is made irrelevant.

Leaders Set an Example

A leader recognizes that the tone and standards he sets for the accomplishment of his vision have a direct bearing on his ability to empower others. If he influences those who share his vision in a positive way, progress will be made. If he resorts to authoritarian power, unjust practices, or carelessness, he jeopardizes the vision. The quality and integrity of daily advancement toward the vision are his responsibility. Leaders must act with integrity, modeling their expectations and clarifying the necessary requirements of the vision.

The leader’s attitude is all-important. He must be confident about his vision if others are to be confident about it, as well.

Because of his own belief in his vision, the leader inspires others to believe that accomplishing it is truly possible.

Leaders Know and Encourage People’s Abilities Leaders enable people to discover and to fulfill their own God-given purposes. To do this, they invest time, resources, and energy in learning about and encouraging the abilities of others. They recognize others’ potential and help them to develop their skills and talents in both breadth and depth.

Leaders Show Appreciation for People’s Contributions Leaders consider success a corporate issue, not a personal one. While pursuing their visions, they show appreciation for everyone who is involved. They understand that people need respect, recognition, empathy, gratitude, encouragement, and

trust. When accomplishments are made, they distribute credit rather than trying to grasp it for themselves.

Oppression or Empowerment?

Perhaps you are just beginning to understand your leadership potential, or maybe you are currently working toward your vision. It could be that you have suddenly found yourself in a leadership position without having had any training. Regardless of your circumstances, respecting the principles of empowering others is essential for completing your God-given purpose with integrity. These principles apply to all kinds of visions and leadership situations. Even though some visions involve tasks that are necessarily more solitary than others, there comes a time when we all need others to help us fulfill our visions. How you think about others and treat them during the process of working toward your vision is just as important as the end result. Will you fall into authoritarian power, or will you allow the outworking of your vision to empower others?

Chapter Ten