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The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.
- Benjamin Franklin
What is real power? Is it the propensity to exercise authority over another? To be the alpha male or female in a dog-eat-dog world?
A quote we use from the Tao Te Ching, in our book Heart Centered Leadership – An Invitation to Lead From the Inside Out says it all:
“Control over others is strength, control over oneself is power”
I think true power is the ability to have a healthy, positive influence in the lives of those around us by practicing humility. This means taking the time to listen with respect for another, admitting that you have made a mistake when things go wrong and eschewing a sense of entitlement. We need to accept that, in the end, people have a choice – to go along with our ideas, goals and deadlines -or not. This holds true in the workplace or even in personal relationships. Humility and respect for others is key to understanding your capacity to influence people in a positive way.
So how do you put this into play?
Let’s look at it in the business environment. First, try to open your eyes to the gifts of others around you. Let yourself be led, taught, and supported at times – you don’t always have to be the one with the answers!
Be supportive and communicative. What does that mean? No more ivory tower. No more “closed door” approach. No more “need to know basis”. Why? Because if you lead in a heart- centered way with humility and truthfulness, your associates will be motivated to do a great job – simply because they would never want to let you down. 
This heart-centered way of relating to people is a more humble approach that opens the door to better communication and instills a sense of pride in your associates. By putting the virtue of humility into practice, you are inviting associates to take on the role of empowered and caring contributors to the team.
Tags: Heart-Centered Leadership, humility, respect