We too often find ourselves caught in the erroneous belief that authority is synonomous with leadership; and yet we’ve all been led by those in a position of authority who lack the ability to lead. Similarly we often believe that responsibility without authority precludes leadership. This is the first major hurdle to overcome on the road to leadership. Leadership is not about a position. It is about a behavior. So let me ask you this: what do you believe about your role and your “right” to lead? Do you believe you lack the authority? If you had the authority, how would you behave? What would you do? In what manner would you influence those above, below and around you? Remember, this is a question of leadership, of influence–not of power or control. This isn’t about “making” anyone do anything, it’s about leading. Could you even define what that means? If not, spend some time with that question. Understanding the behaviors of leadership is imperative, and yet when I ask clients to describe them, it’s amazing how few truly can.
Traditionally, I’ve found people associate the word authority with a title, with the “influence” and power necessary to make things happen. Responsibility, on the other hand, is something entirely different. Many people have responsibility without having authority, and conversely, many with authority fail to take responsibility. To over simplify, authority has the power and makes the decisions, as it were, and whoever reports to that authority has responsibility to carry it out (think middle management). A decision was made, a budget was cut, a goal was assigned, and now it comes down to you–the one with the responsibility–to make this happen. You don’t have the authority of the decision maker, and yet you’re expected to “lead” yourself and the masses to achieve the results.
