Power and Impact (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)

11

To Create Change, Leadership Is More Important Than Authority

By Greg Satell

Aspiring junior executives dream of climbing the ladder to gain more authority. Then they can make things happen and create the change that they believe in. Senior executives, on the other hand, are often frustrated by how little power they actually have.

The problem is that, while authority can compel action, it does little to inspire belief. It’s not enough to get people to do what you want, they also have to want what you want—or any change is bound to be short-lived.

That’s why change management efforts commonly fail. All too often, they are designed to carry out initiatives that come from the top. When you get right down to it, that’s really just the same thing ...