Power or Empowerment Leaders Choose to Empower Others
Much of leadership is about choices. Real leaders choose to empower others and to lift other people in their groups or organizations to higher levels of achievement and productivity. They know how to use power but are wise enough to know its dangers and limitations. George Washington understood this when he chose to serve only two terms as U.S. President and set an example for all future leaders and presidents to come. This is especially important for public officials who are elected or hired by the people for the purpose of serving. Choosing to empower others makes leaders more effective as they learn to serve in their positions. However, in our present system of government ambition for power and money seems to dominate the thinking of those who choose to seek and serve in public office. For example, in our last election there was considerable focus on our democratic candidate, Obama, and his ability to raise great sums of money over the internet and out of the pockets of hard working everyday Americans. Yet, it was not the money that made the real difference in the election of President Obama.
The American people were ready for change to a new democratic administration. And, just before the election this need for change was confirmed by the catastrophe on Wall Street and the collapse of the economy. However, even with this great impetus for change the election was still relatively close until leaders decided that they would keep the polls open in certain swing states late into the evening. Since Obama was winning these late voters by a ratio of two to one, this decision helped to make the difference in those states that could have swung republican without this last minute choice to allow many hard working Americans to cast their ballots. So, even with all of the money raised by the democrats and the hype that it generated, in the final analysis it was the economy and the late voters that brought victory for Obama and the democrats. This is significant in that for many politicians money is power. And, much was made of Obama’s success in appealing to the everyday Americans for their small contributions in great numbers that accumulated millions of dollars for the democrats.
However, in the end as we calmly look at the results, even though Obama raised more than twice what the republicans and the McCain Campaign raised, he only won the election by six percent of the vote. Also, the actual percentage of small contributors to the Obama Campaign and the Democratic Party was about the same ratio (of small to large contributors) as that of the Bush Campaign of 2004. This should be sobering to all who have celebrated the Obama victory and believe that money made the difference in this election. In the end, the real power was in the vote of the people, particularly, those who were willing to stand in those long lines at the polls until late into the evening to cast their votes. This significant effort by the hardest working Americans made the real difference in this election. And, the decision to empower these people by giving them the chance to vote until late into the evening in these very important swing states may have made all the difference even with the collapse of the economy and the great need for change.
So, it is important for leaders to understand where the real power resides in a democratic society and let go of the false notion that money is the vehicle to achieve all of their ambitions for political success. In the end, it is all about the choices that leaders make to lead by empowering others that make all of the difference. The rest is just hype like that of the talk about Obama’s and the democrat’s fund raising success. If President Obama and our Congresspeople put as much effort into empowering the people without compromising them, much can be accomplished. If, however, they choose to make deals with the lobbyists and profiteers who have helped to create our nation’s problems, they will fail as the only people who need to be empowered in a democracy are those who do the voting and those who make decisions on the behalf of those voters. This same principle applies to every politician and public servant who runs for public office. All of the other political posturing and jockeying for power becomes suspect if the decisions and choices of our leaders are based upon how much money they can raise for their next election. Clearly, money does not make the real difference in elections if the people are empowered and able to choose freely. And, leadership is all about the choices leaders make to empower others and not themselves or their political parties.
Finally, President Obama, needs to make this idea clear to the American people by supporting the equal public funding of all presidential campaigns. By doing so he will endorse the principle that money is not the real source of power in a democracy. We need to know that our President supports this concept with his actions as well as his words.
Copyright 2009, Global Leadership Resources: For teaching or classroom use only.
Discussion Questions
- Why did George Washington choose to serve only two terms as the first U.S. President? What does this teach us about the limitations and dangers of power?
- Discuss some ways that leaders are able to empower others? How does this process make them more effective and credible as leaders?
- Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of money in the democratic election process. Is money the real source of power in a democracy? Why or Why not?
- Why is it so important for leaders to empower the people in a democracy? How does this process help to make democracies work for everyone?
- Discuss the use of money and the fundraising process in the Presidential Election of 2008. What were the advantages and disadvantages for democracy? Did it make the difference in the final analysis? Why or why not?
- Why is it so important for leaders to be consistent when it comes to the support of democratic values and the empowerment of the people?
- Should our President support the equal public funding of presidential elections? How will this support make him more effective as a leader?
