Leadership: Avoiding Corruption by Power

This essay delves into the complex relationship between leadership and power, focusing on how leaders can avoid corruption. It explores the seductive nature of power and its potential to corrupt, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, ethical principles, and moral values. The essay discusses various strategies, including self-reflection, empathy, and generosity, that leaders can employ to maintain their integrity and effectiveness. It also highlights the significance of a leader's commitment to the welfare of others over personal gain. The essay concludes that true leadership is a learned skill that requires continuous self-evaluation and a dedication to ethical conduct.

Running Head- Leadership
Leadership

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Overview
This paper focusses on the nature of leadership in an elaborative way. Also the paper highlights
that how a leader can avoid being corrupted by power. It is very important for a leader to get free
form corruption as it will lead the leader to manage all the worldly affairs fairly. In order to
complete this paper, secondary data has been referred.
Given your knowledge of leadership theories, discuss how can a leader avoid being
corrupted by power?
Introduction
‘The most challenging issue for a leader in power is not that how to attain their aims and
objectives, their motives as they have the authority to do this now but, it is to maintain
their humanity, maintain their civic ethics and not fall into the clutches of corruption’.
Talking of power, it is introduced to the person in his early days of life in this world when, as
kids, they realize that they have the ability to control their parents and elders through actions
ranging from fluttering eyelashes for screaming fits and this makes them feel happy as well as
good when they get what they cried for. This power game, of being under the power of others
and finding one's own power, continues throughout individual’s life. The person finds out how
one gain or advances power, like, for instance, bending the rules while playing games. At the
initial stage of the business, etc., in endeavours for seeking power, people may have good
intention like seeking to build the organization, help others succeed, serve the community and so
on (Bendahan et al., 2015). In due course of time, with this sound purpose, they excuse
themselves for small rashness and injudiciousness, as the minor means is clearly worth meeting
the greater ends. Many offbeat leaders start out their work this way, doing good and helping
others. But before reaching the desired goal and covering the long journey, the power of control

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goes to their head as they are lured by the capable inclination it wraps them. Power is truly
tempting, not just on the grounds that it is the methods by which one can get what he or she
needs, yet additionally in light of the fact that it gives one the certainty that accompanies this
learning. Enchantment is frequently a step by step propelling procedure. It comes to happen from
one little advance at any given moment, undetectable and for the most part, activities are
supported with contemplations, for example, 'simply this once' or 'it's essential'.
McClelland portrays the requirement for control as one of the fundamental necessities that we
look for throughout everyday life. By control, as principal implies, the feeling of control is
accomplished. Aside from this, it can likewise assume a noteworthy part in boosting our feeling
of character significantly. Power is addictive to the point that sooner or later, we start to feel that
power is a piece of us, a piece of our internal identity, that we are intense individuals, and that
losing it would be something parallel to a personality emergency, where we never again know
who we truly are. Thusly, or path playing to one's more significant needs, control winds up
enticing, pulling in us. Right, when people respect us and treat us like heavenly creatures, by
then it is excessively basic, making it impossible to believe them, it gives a lovely vibe and it
winds up less demanding to accept that we truly are unrivalled. Here, the point that we skip is,
realizing that we are in awe of the power, not the inner person. This is the reason, probably,
many of the company managers once retired, get confounded by the lack of respect to which they
had become accustomed. The 'mystery of energy' depicts how individuals need and utilize
social aptitudes to pick up places of energy, yet when they achieve that position they appear to
overlook how to be affable and liberal to other individuals. One explanation behind this is the
general population who are in control meet numerous other people who need something from
them and their position needing the effective individual to utilize his/her energy for some

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specific reason to profit them. Numerous a periods, they may simply need to loll in the reflected
transcendence. In any case, the intense individual feels secluded. Another purpose of getting to
be uncivil is that the individual is normally, initially that way, however, is gifted at seeming, by
all accounts, to be thoughtful, to be prudent. They, in this way, utilized their abilities in transit
up, and when they have 'made it'; they fall again into their more genuine, less kind self. In this
way, on one side, it is conceivable that power undermines a man, yet on the opposite side, it is
likewise conceivable that a few people have a characteristic slant to look for control since they
themselves are degenerate on the most fundamental level.
This power play way is very much tempted towards, when it comes to, leaders and the history is
a witness to it. An incredible pioneer is somebody who moves others to follow in their
illustration – not regarding following charges but rather attempting their best constantly while
honing great Excellency or virtues. A leader can avoid being corrupted by the power by
following their moral values, principles, and aim of the welfare of all. If a leader is ready to
sacrifice his personal interest then he can be able to avoid being corrupted by the power. But if a
leader is engaged in achieving his own personal goals then power can overpower him and
corrupt him.
Kevin Kruse, an entrepreneur, writes that Leadership is considered as the process of a
social influence so that it will maximize the efforts of others, towards the achievement of a
goal." In simple meaning, incredible pioneers or leader don't egotistically force their energy
however rather impact others through co-activity and beneficial coordinated effort to satisfy
particular objectives. So as to keep control from adulterating one's character, administration
abilities, and general gathering, a few thoughts have been shared by different savants,
sociologists, and different masterminds.

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According to Adams, a leader should not be selfish. The leader should try to empower other
and mentor, embrace the team. This will lead to avoiding corruption and through this way leader
can become very effective in their field.
Keltner stresses that it is imperative to rehearse or review self-reflection to battle
debasement/ corruption. In the wake of winding up in another authority position, always check
for changes in your conduct, especially negative ones. It is less demanding to settle risky direct
once one can figure out what it involves. Ingraining graciousness and respectfulness into one's
character, which includes the morals of sympathy, appreciation, and liberality is additionally a
powerful and fundamental device to abstain from being ruined (Hale, 2016).
Sympathy enables pioneers/ leader for comprehending the worries of their group and build up an
aggregate objective which is helpful for all. Then again, appreciation includes expressing
gratitude toward individuals for their diligent work and commitment, showing gratefulness for
occupations well done. In conclusion, liberality involves sharing information, openings, and
credit where it is legitimately due. The mix of these ethics and great practices will incredibly
profit how well a gathering cooperates and what they will have the capacity to accomplish.
“A first step is developing greater self-awareness. When you take on a senior role, you need
to be attentive to the feelings that accompany your newfound power and to any changes in
your behavior.” The best way through which a leader can avoid being corrupted by power is
self-awareness. Self-awareness or Mindfulness is vital. It's pivotal to comprehend the unmindful
drivers behind their practices or behavior. Knowing your inspirations will enable you to set new
objectives. However, maybe more imperative is helping pioneers create more noteworthy
motivation control – the capacity to postpone delight. As the now exemplary Stanford

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marshmallow contemplate appeared, youthful kids who could postpone eating a treat with the
reward of getting two marshmallows later indicated general more prominent achievement in life
when followed throughout the following 15 years. To be sure, pioneers/ leader who comprehend
that basically in light of the fact that they can don't imply that they should, are seen by others as
representing more note worthy’s benefit more than representing themselves (Lasswell 2017).
Moreover, leadership does not progress or grow overnight neither do it is a one-take set up. It is
“a learned skill, not a genetic grant,” says writer Michael J. Farlow. In order to rise through
the ranks and be worthy of the “leader” title, it is important to establish and enhance certain
characteristics (Sturm and Antonakis. J, 2016).
In order to avoid corruption by power leader require significant investment off from their
leadership life, and even from their family life. In this way, the leader can better able to analyze
the situation and act accordingly in a fair manner. Jesus very well said that leader should try to
take a scheduled amount of time in order to get their head clear which will enhance their
judgment capability. Jennifer Cole has said that it is not the power which makes the leader
corrupt, it is the treatment of society for which leader may fall into massive jerks. But at the
same time, Cole has argued that it depends upon the individual leader when the leader is ready to
sacrifice his self-interest for the betterment of society then power will not corrupt the leader. If
the leader is morally enriched and follows the basic principle then also attaining the power in
hand leader will not fall into massive jerks. The best way which all the leaders should follow to
avoid being corrupted is sacrificing the self-interest for the sake of others. Beside this leader
need to spare some time alone away from his leadership life and also away from his family life.
This will help the leader to analyze the situation and real condition of the society which will
guide him in taking an ethical decision.

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Thus it can be said that maintaining the virtuous qualities that granted you power is the key in the
longevity and effectiveness of your run as a leader and your continuous evaluation of the self and
the functioning and fruits of the efforts by the people whom you lead, serves a vital aspect in
protecting oneself from being enveloped by the shades of corruption that comes with power. As
the saying “Control is not leadership; management is not leadership; leadership is
leadership.” – Dee Hock, goes all true. Leadership is endeavoured skill and needs to be taken
excess care in case to avoid from being drawn off the betterment aspect of the larger whole and
giving in to misuse of power that leads to a very base of joining hands with corruption.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it is concluded that people who rise with power and reach higher
position for their consistent leadership and their ethical approach towards the leadership. The
random allocation of power to someone will not be very helpful which may have many ethical
issues and those can be solved by using the models of leadership (Bazerman, 2014). As a result,
they are unconsciously incompetent and the corruption was designed by us not them. As for Lord
Acton, great men or women deserve a fresh start in our perceptions as power is only one facet of
culture. We might not like aspects of our culture but for these actions to be corrupt, they must
include deviation, something that only seems to be proven when the system fails.

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References
Bendahan, S., Zehnder, C., Pralong, F. P., & Antonakis, J. (2015). Leader corruption depends on
power and testosterone. The Leadership Quarterly, 26(2), 101-122.
Hale, H. E. (2016). 25 Years After the USSR: What's Gone Wrong? Journal of
Democracy, 27(3), 24-35.
Sturm, R. E., & Antonakis, J. (2015). Interpersonal power: A review, critique, and research
agenda. Journal of Management, 41(1), 136-163.
Lehrer, J. (2018). The Power Trip. WSJ. Retrieved 27 April 2018, from
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704407804575425561952689390
Bazerman, M. (2014). The power of noticing: What the best leaders see. Simon and Schuster.
How Power Makes People Selfish. (2018). DE-film. Retrieved 27 April 2018, from https://de-
film.com/v-how-power-makes-people-selfish-0vvl46PmCfE.html
Lasswell, H. D. (2017). Power and personality. Routledge.

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