“We have, I fear, confused power with greatness.” (Stuart L. Udall)

Everyone has at least a little power — over family members, co-workers, neighbors, or even strangers. The question isn’t whether or not you have power. The real question is: What are you going to do with it?

Too often we believe power is an end in and of itself. So, if we ever feel our power slipping away, we tighten our grip in an attempt to convince ourself and others that we’re still in control. We do this because we think maintaining and expanding our power is the primary goal of life. Ironically, that kind of insecurity only lessens the amount of authority we held in the first place.

Things change when we begin to believe that power is meant to be leveraged for the good of others. Power isn’t an end; it’s a means to something more. That kind of leadership is attractive. That kind of leadership draws people to us while also preparing them to go beyond us in ways we can’t imagine. And that goal, above all others, is truly great.