There’s a word that gets thrown around quite a bit in corporate corridors. You’ve heard it. Perhaps you’ve even been labelled with it.
It’s not a compliment. It refers to a certain kind of leader, someone with a forceful personality, a rigid set of expectations, and a tone that says, “It’s my way or nothing.” This type of leader micromanages every detail, dominates meetings, and is often the reason people quietly update their CVs during lunch breaks.
You know the type.
Maybe you are that type.
But this article isn’t here to judge. It’s here to offer support. It’s a chance to reflect and take the first step towards a different kind of leadership. One rooted in clarity, empathy, and trust rather than control.
In this context, recognising the problem is the first step. So, let’s get started.
Making the first step
Let’s see if this example hits home. You’ve entered a project and you’re leading a team without setting clear expectations. You thought things were clear, but it turned out they missed the deadline by miles. The first impulse is to blame them—how dare they delay things in Jira when everything seemed so clear?
But was it really clear? Or had you set an unspoken rule where you speak, they listen, and no one dares to ask questions? So, they didn’t. They didn’t question your estimation, they didn’t warn you that the other team was late with a feature that would cause problems, and they didn’t tell you that what you were presenting might have practical implications. There was dead silence, and you took that as everything being perfectly understood.
But that silence? It wasn’t agreement. It was fear.
If this has happened to you on multiple occasions, then you are the common denominator. There’s no running from that, and as any great (not good) leader, you should take responsibility for fixing the environment around you.
Here’s a bit of encouragement: many leaders don’t even recognise these issues as problems. Instead, they end up damaging people and teams, often switching companies and causing the same destruction wherever they go. But if you’re reading this because you genuinely want to change things for the better, congratulations. You are a rare breed. You should be proud of taking that first step: confessing that you have led imperfectly.
What is authority?
Sometimes, being clear about what something actually means makes it far easier to implement. Since we’re talking about authority, it’s worth going all the way back to ancient Rome. The word comes from auctoritas, and it wasn’t simply about power or legal entitlement. It was about a person’s moral influence, their capacity to inspire, and their ability to be the origin of something meaningful. Authority, in its purest form, meant being a source of value.
So how did such a noble idea become a word that, in today’s corporate setting, often carries a much darker connotation? Somewhere along the way, we twisted its meaning. What was once a mark of earned respect now brings to mind fear, distrust, and people left broken by poor leadership. That’s not a failure of language—it’s a failure of culture.
So, who’s to blame? It often comes down to the systems that organisations build. If a company consistently chooses leaders who dominate instead of elevate, who control instead of connect, then the issue doesn’t start with the individuals. It starts with the organisation itself.
….
Here, we’re going to pause for a moment so you can ask yourself: what type of authority do you think you hold?
There’s a simple way to test it. In your next meeting, pose a question and invite opinions. Then pay close attention. Whether you’re in a room or on a video call, your emotional intelligence can help you read the atmosphere.
Are people hesitant to speak up? Do they avoid challenging your ideas or offering different perspectives? If so, it’s worth taking a good, honest look at your leadership style.
True authority doesn’t silence the room, it inspires it. It doesn’t shut people down simply by showing up. It creates space for others to think, speak, and grow.
Change the meaning
Going back to what we’ve already established, if authority truly means being a source of value, then the key to becoming a great leader lies not in controlling every detail, but in instilling your principles and values into the people around you.
This doesn’t mean everyone should work the way you do. It means your team takes your values (things like integrity, curiosity, or high standards) and applies them in their own way. Sometimes, that will result in ideas that look nothing like yours. And that’s exactly how it should be.
In fact, you should be proud of a team like that. Those are people who aren’t driven by fear, either of you or of failure. They’re driven by belief. They’ve got the knowledge, they’ve got the confidence, and they’re willing to try, even if that means getting it wrong sometimes.
And now, the verdict
Over the past decade or two, there’s been a troubling trend in leadership creating leaders who are so strict and unyielding that they resemble mini corporate dictators. You may have even been shaped into one by the company you work for. Don’t think you’re immune; this can happen to anyone. Which brings us back to the system itself.
One person alone cannot change an entire organisation. They can adapt, or they can leave. And that’s why this is about more than just your personal willingness to become a better leader, even though that deserves credit and respect. It’s also an ethical question about organisational culture.
If a company truly wants healthy people with sharp minds, it needs to build a foundation where great leaders are chosen, nurtured, and supported. No one can do that homework better than the organisation itself.
So, if you want to become a leader with true authority, find an organisation that respects and supports the kind of leadership you believe in. And if you are an organisation with a difficult past, perhaps known for toxic behaviours, then it may be time to ask for help in rebuilding a healthier culture, something I’d be more than happy to support you with.