The two hardest things to handle in life are failure and success.” – Anonymous

It’s easy to recognize how failure can break a person. What’s harder to see—and
often more dangerous—is how success can do the same. Power is the byproduct
of success.

It’s the shiny medal leaders wear when they’re given responsibility over people,
resources, or an organization. But here’s the problem: power has a way of
distorting perspective.

Many people step into leadership roles believing that power automatically grants
them influence. It doesn’t. Power might get people to comply, but it rarely gets
them to commit. And if you’ve ever been on a team, you know the difference.
Compliance looks like showing up because you “have to.” Commitment looks like
showing up ready to run through walls because you “want to.”

The leaders we admire most aren’t the ones who bark orders, push their weight
around, or hide behind a title. They’re the ones who understand that real
influence isn’t about control—it’s about connection. It’s about how they engage
with each individual team member.

It you can’t engage/communicate well with the individuals; you will never have
the skill to do so with the group.

Power used poorly creates fear, resentment, and distance. Power used well builds
trust, loyalty, and momentum.

The true test of leadership is whether the people around you feel smaller or
bigger because of your presence.

The best leaders I’ve known see their role not as an opportunity to wield power,
but as a responsibility to serve. They don’t focus on how to use people; they
focus on how to lift people. When you do that, power takes care of itself.

So, the next time you find yourself in a position of power, ask:
Am I using this to get people to comply, or to inspire them to commit?

Do people follow me because they have to, or because they want to?
Am I making those around me stronger, or weaker?

Failure tests your resilience. Success tests your character. And nothing tests
character more than the problem of power. That’s all I’m gonna say. Tommy Gibbs