A Leader’s Power and Influence

More on being a leader and the power and influence that comes with the position:

I keep repeating that leaders have degrees of power and influence over those they lead. It hardly matters under what conditions. It is what it is and every type leader, whether military, political or civilian has clout. Some use their power in abusive and harmful ways to the point that denies those that follow them any opportunities for their own personal growth. This leader’s concern is only to have their needs and wants met and why followers are there to serve the leader.

There are leaders, fewer in number, whose concern is for those they lead. That as leaders they seek to nurture and to help grow each individual they have influence on to be as fully themselves as possible.  They do this by acknowledging, listening and understanding, not necessarily agreeing with, what followers say and need. They achieve this through dialogue as equals and not monologue, that is more often than not hierarchical in intent. 

It’s important to establish that no group of people and probably no group within the Animal Kingdom functions without some sort of leadership. So the issues is not one of “why leaders,” they are ubiquitous and obviously necessary.  If this is so why do so many human leaders, through their own behavior misuse or even abuse those they need?

I spent many years as a leader and then many more years studying philosophy, psychology, religion and history all having to do with Leadership & Power. My purpose was to teach us to be the best leaders we were capable of. Note: I write “us” because I too wanted to be and understand what it took to be as good a leader as possible.  

When I was a leader I never asked and no one volunteered to tell me what kind of leader I was. In fact, I never asked the question to myself. It was a complete non issue for me. I just did my job and expected that of my employees.

Now as a mentor/leader to others all over the country I need to know for them what it took to be a truly good leader. I also needed to know for myself.  Sy

Author: Sy Ogulnick

Sy Ogulnick received a BA from UCLA, Teacher’s Credential from Los Angeles Board of Education and completed phase I (Master’s portion) in a Doctor of Behavioral Science program at California Coast University. Sy leased and operated a summer day camp in LA. He and his wife then purchased virgin wilderness land in Northern CA, where they built and operated a coed summer camp. They moved to Las Vegas, NV, and purchased, built and operated a community children’s program for families staying in a major resort casino in Las Vegas. They have created programs for children nationwide that employed many people and in the process developed successful training programs for personnel. This led Sy to lecture on how to train staff and the creating of community within the workplace. Sy was then invited to speak at professional conferences on how best to hire and train employees, which led to his becoming a consultant in the art of improving relationships in a work environment and eventually to his epiphany that “Leaders are the primary problem and the answer to the personnel issues that arise in the workplace.” Sy has written numerous papers on the subject of interpersonal relationships, leadership and power. He has lectured throughout the United States, has been interviewed by the media and has appeared on many radio and TV talk shows

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