1. Module Three, Lesson Two
POWER UTILIZATION
Module Three, Lesson Two

2. Aim
To provide understanding of the uses and misuses of power

3. Main objective
To show how the correct use of power in the interest of the community can lead to successful leadership

4. Major question to be answered
How best should power be used by locally elected leaders?
What is the main purpose for the use of power?

5. Power corrupts
According to Lord Acton, “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”
That is why locally elected leaders must do their best to use power carefully, responsibly, and meaningfully

6. What is power?
Basically, power is the ability to control the thought and behavior of others
It is the ability to make others do what they would not normally do

7. Importance of power
When properly used, power can be a great instrument of bringing people together and making them work in their own interest

8. Power and leadership
There is a relationship between power and leadership
As soon as a man or woman is given leadership, then that person is automatically given power
In that case knowing how to use the power becomes the most important thing
It is always good for leaders to use power in the interest of their people

9. Elements of leadership
If power is related to leadership, then it is important to know those things that make leadership good
Those elements of leadership include:
character
Competence
Care
Leadership may also come with price, prize and/or peril

10. Uses of power
A locally elected leader can use power in the interest of his or her community and people, thereby bringing happiness
Most often, leaders will also be faced with the temptation of misusing power
But the abuse of power is what usually leads to the failure and replacement of leaders by the people

11. Misuses of power
Just as power can be used for good purposes, it can also be misused
Sometimes, leaders use power for their personal benefits or to the disadvantage of others
Some leaders also use their power to cheat or deny benefits to their communities
These are some examples of the misuse of power

12. Gender and power
Long ago, the use of power was the business of men only
Today, things have changed – women can also use power as effectively as men
In fact, in the old Liberian culture and even among the people of rural Liberia today, power sharing with women is not very strange – although men have always tried to dominate

13. Some sources of power Position, office or authority
Expertise: the knowledge and skill of the leader
Organization: the ability of the leader to put people together for work
Number: the amount of people on the side of the good leader

14. Power as relationship
Power expresses itself as a relationship of domination and subordination, or top-down relationship
It may also be a relationship between rich and poor
What ever the case is, leaders must use their positions to encourage power sharing and to improve the situation of poor people and the conditions of society for the benefit of all

15. Power and the question of equality
Before the law, all the people are equal
So the leader must try to protect the basic rights of everybody
The leader must also try to look for ways in which basic services will reach everybody – i.e. education, health, water, housing, communication roads

16. Power and good governance
It is important to connect the use of power with the principles of good governance such:
Participation and civic engagement
Transparency and accountability
Equality and diversity
Efficiency and effectiveness

17. The question of empowerment
Rather than approach power as if leaders have the magic with which to empower the people, it is important to share power with the people
The leader must seek to create the enabling environment in which people empower themselves

18. Power and administration
The leader is always an administrator
But the leader as administrator needs the help and cooperation of others to accomplish his or her tasks
So the leader must be able to delegate responsibility to others
And the leader must also reward good service and performance by subordinates