To Empower and Not to Overpower

A few days ago I witnessed a friendship fall apart entirely based on the atrocities of the ego. Since then I have been questioning what goes into being a successful leader?

All of us play some leadership roles in our lives. Are we over powering or empowering those around us? Do others have a say and feel safe to express themselves and call us out on our act or are we defensive and intimidating and come from a place of demand and entitlement? Do we misuse our titles or social positions? Are we being responsible stake holders in relationships by loosely using words like anxiety and depression and self love? Should it matter in friendship if one is a cop and one is not? If one is a social worker or one is not?

Is the one who is not, supposed to be in a terrified state of struggle in a friendship and not allowed to be self expressed and received as is?

What would it be like if we could be leaders without having any attachment to the title or position we have? What would it be like if our leadership was in service of others? What would it be like if we could be the first to say sorry, the first to say thank you, the first to acknowledge and appreciate or the first to listen and get the other person's world?

What would it be like if all our leaders came from this place of being a stand for the power of others... especially in their own presence? What would it be like to lead others to their leadership?

Here is Leadership explained by Richard Wright: