Trust Is The Greatest Transformative Power

bendunford6
Aug 6
1 min read

Leaders can have many different types of power.

As a kid watching Superfriends cartoons I grew accustomed to Superman telling all the other heroes what to do. It always worked out well, so this left an impression in my young mind that leading was all about having lots of formal power and firing off directives. I have since learned better.

Leaders can have many different types of power, including lofty titles, control over resources, and vast amounts of expertise. All these power sources have value.

But the most transformative source of power resides in who leaders are in their relationships with people—trusted, respected and personally admired.

Data That Backs It Up

In a recent study of over 800 public service employees in 120 teams, I found evidence to support this back-to-the- basics principle (see chart below). Resistance to change is natural. So, to eliminate change barriers, don’t rely so much on your formal power even if you possess it in great amounts—like Superman. Trust is the most transformative source of power.