POWER AND AUTHORITY

There is a fine line of difference between power an authority, especially as bases for LeaderShip.

James Hunter writes in The Servant (pp.29-34) that “If leadership is about influencing others, how do we go about developing that influence with people? How do we get people to do our will? How do we get their ideas, commitment, creativity, and excellence, which are by definition voluntary gifts? … To better understand how one develops this type of influence, it is critical to understand the difference between power and authority.

Power: the ability of a person or a group to influence the beliefs and actions of other people. It is the ability to influence events. Power can be personal power. A person gets his personal power from his personality or from his expert knowledge. Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, Programmers, etc. get their power from their expertise and professional knowledge. Power can also be legitimate or official power. This power comes from a higher authority.

Authority: the right given to a manager to achieve the objectives of the organisation. It is a right to get the things done through others. It is a right to take decisions. It is a right to give orders to the subordinates and to get obedience from them. A manager cannot do his work without authority.

Authority cannot be bought or sold, given or taken away. Authority is about who you are as a person, your character, and the influence you’ve built with people [it is one’s expression of one’s self, which is treated thoroughly by Warren Bennis in On Becoming a Leader]. … power erodes relationships. You can get a few seasons out of power, even accomplish some things, but over time power can be very damaging to relationships.

There are times when we must exercise power … in firing a bad employee [for example – but] we had to resort to power because our authority had broken down [Watts Humphrey also acknowledges the risks of power].”

Needless to say, good Leadership leads by authority and not by power.

2. What is Identity?

Identity can be refers to as the state or fact of remaining the same one or ones, as under varying aspects or conditions

3. Mention National symbols that bind us as a Nation

National Symbols of Nigeria that binds us as a Nation

The national symbols of Nigeria represent the varied customary beliefs of the country that has been a part of its rich heritage since many years. With a population of more than 1 million, the country of Nigeria stands tall as one of the fastest growing economies of the world. An analysis of the background of the national symbols of Nigeria gives you a clear idea of the various aspects of Nigerian life.

To know more about the national symbols of Nigeria, here’s sharing with you some information

1. National Anthem of Nigeria

The present day national anthem of Nigeria serves as no less than nationalistic call to unify the country and bring in era of prosperity and peace in the country. Facts indicate that the first national anthem of Nigeria was composed by two British nationals but in the year 1978, the group which emerged out as the winner from the competition was credited for composing the national song of Nigeria. The privileged group of writers was-ohn A Ilechukwu, Eme Etim Akpan, B A Ogunnaike, Sota Omoigui and P. O. Aderibigbe. The music was composed by Nigerian Police Band, led by Ben Odiase.

2. National Flag of Nigeria-

With a glorious history to bank upon, the national flag of Nigeria represents the cultural identity of the country. The flag of Nigeria was actually designed in the year 1959 and officially adopted on 1st October 1960. Unlike other countries, there was no special emphasis and a historical incident to inspire the proposed ensign for the national flag of Nigeria. It was designed by Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi who was then a student in London and belonged to Ibadan, a city located in the south western part of Nigeria. The Nigerian flag is divided into three equal parts of green with white color in the central part. The green stands for agriculture of the country while the white represents peace and prosperity of the land.

3. Coat of Arms of Nigeria

The symbolic significance of ‘Coat of Arms of Nigeria’ lies in the fact that it truly represents the rich natural diversity along with the past historical splendor of the country which is very dear to the people of Nigerian origin and the citizens of Nigeria. The Coat of Arms of Nigeria has a black shield with two white flattened stripes blazing in the shape of alphabet ‘Y’ in the harbor shield. The black shield represents the fertile land of Nigeria and the silver white wavy stripes stands for the rivers Niger and Benue. Each image in the picture has a symbolic significance as the two white horses exemplify dignity while eagle stands for strength. The ground of the shield is covered with Coctus Spectablis, a common wild flower found in different parts of Nigeria.

Thus, the importance of the national symbols of Nigeria has been widely recognized throughout the country.

POWER AND AUTHORITY

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