Rethinking Power: From Discomfort to Leadership Asset
Power can feel uncomfortable, yet it’s essential in leadership. The challenge is balancing authority with culture—using power not to control, but to influence, connect, and create spaces where teams thrive.
Contributed by David LeBlanc
Recently, I was coaching a leader who visibly shifted in his seat when the word power came up.
He told me it made him uncomfortable—power, to him, was tangled up with dominance, ego, and the potential to harm.
It’s a sentiment I’ve heard from many leaders, especially those committed to authenticity and empathy.
But here’s the truth: power is neither good nor bad—it’s simply energy in motion.
It’s how we use it, and the intention behind it, that defines its impact.
Why We Struggle With Power
Our discomfort with power often comes from lived experience:
- Witnessing leaders who used power to silence others.
- Being on the receiving end of positional authority misused.
- Associating power with control rather than collaboration.
For many, especially those who value humility, the idea of embracing power can feel in direct conflict with their values. They fear becoming the very thing they’ve resisted.
The Leader’s Power Paradox
Today’s leaders face a real tension:
They are expected to exercise power—making decisions, setting direction, and holding people accountable—while also building effective teams, fostering collaboration, and nurturing a healthy culture.
Too much emphasis on control can erode trust and stifle innovation. Too little, and teams can drift without clarity or accountability.
This balance is not a one-time achievement—it’s a constant recalibration based on context, people, and goals.
Great leaders learn to apply their power like a dimmer switch rather than an on/off button, adjusting their influence to match the moment.
Reframing Power
One of the most helpful shifts is to think about power as a resource, not a weapon.
Here are a few reframes I often share with clients:
- Power as Influence
Power can mean the ability to inspire action, shape culture, and create momentum for change. - Power as Responsibility
When you hold power, you have a duty to use it in service of something bigger than yourself—your team, your community, your mission. - Power as Connection
True leadership power often comes from trust, relationships, and the willingness to listen, not just from your title.
Different Forms of Power
Power is not one-dimensional. Leaders can access different types:
- Positional Power – Authority given by a role or title.
- Expert Power – Influence gained from skills, knowledge, and experience.
- Relational Power – Credibility and trust built over time.
- Visionary Power – The ability to help people see a future worth working toward.
Recognizing these forms can help leaders lean into their strengths without defaulting to outdated, hierarchical models.
Power in Leadership: Why It’s Necessary
Power enables leaders to:
- Protect psychological safety – creating environments where people feel safe to speak up.
- Make bold decisions – even when not everyone agrees.
- Champion change – using influence to remove barriers and rally support.
And yet, the same leaders must ensure that this power is not used over people, but with them—shaping conditions where teams feel ownership, pride, and purpose.
A Call to Leaders
Rather than shy away from power, we need to redefine our relationship with it. Ask yourself:
- How am I using my power today?
- Who benefits from my power?
- Where might I need to share or redistribute my power?
- Am I balancing clarity and authority with collaboration and trust?
When power is rooted in service, guided by values, and exercised with awareness, it becomes not just necessary, but transformational.
Leader's Power Check-In:
Closing Thought:
Power will always exist in leadership spaces. The choice is whether we allow outdated ideas to define it—or whether we reclaim it as a force for good, even when navigating the ongoing tension between authority and inclusion.
