People in powerful positions are, in many ways, servants—servants to their ruler or organization, servants to their reputation, and servants to their responsibilities. They lose the freedom to control their time, their actions, or even their personal lives. It’s strange that people seek power only to lose liberty, or strive to control others while losing control of themselves. The climb to power is exhausting, and the rewards often bring even more struggles. Sometimes, people face humiliation on the way up, yet somehow these indignities lead to honor. Holding onto power is precarious, and stepping down can feel like a failure or, at best, like fading into irrelevance, which is a sad reality: “When you are no longer who you were, it is hard to find reasons to keep living.”
Even when stepping away from the spotlight is wise—such as in old age or sickness—many resist, clinging to public life like old villagers who sit outside their homes, exposing their age and frailty to judgement. Those in high positions often borrow the opinions of others to feel content, measuring their happiness by how others envy their status. Yet inside, they often feel the opposite. They are the first to feel their own pain but the last to recognize their own flaws. High achievers can lose touch with themselves. In the chaos of work, they neglect their physical and mental health.
“Death presses heavily upon those who are well-known to everyone but die strangers to themselves.”
Power allows one to do good or evil, but the freedom to do wrong is more of a curse than a gift. The greatest fortune is not wanting to do evil, and the second-best is not being able to. Real power exists to do good. Good intentions may be acceptable to God, but for people, they are meaningless unless turned into action. And action requires power and influence—the tools to shape the world. Striving for merit and good works is what gives life purpose, and being at peace with that is what brings true rest. As the Bible says, when God reviewed his work and saw that it was good, he rested on the Sabbath.
In your role, look to the best examples of leadership for guidance because good examples are worth more than any advice. Over time, hold yourself accountable, asking whether your early decisions were better than your later ones. Learn from the mistakes of others, not to criticize them, but to understand what to avoid. Make changes without causing unnecessary disruption or disrespect to the past, but be bold enough to create new standards. Restore things to their original purpose, identifying how they’ve gone astray. Seek wisdom from both history—what has proven to be the best—and the present—what works now. Strive for consistency so people can predict what to expect, but also communicate clearly when you need to deviate from your rules.
Respect your authority without drawing unnecessary attention to it. Let your actions speak louder than formal claims. Likewise, honor the roles of those beneath you; it’s more dignified to guide them than to micromanage. Welcome advice and information from others—don’t dismiss people as meddlesome. Instead, listen carefully. The main flaws in authority are delays, corruption, harshness, and being too easily swayed.
To avoid delays, be approachable, stick to schedules, and handle tasks without unnecessary interruptions. As for corruption, it’s not enough to avoid taking bribes—you must also prevent people from offering them. Show integrity in action and openly condemn bribery. When you change your opinion or direction, explain it plainly with your reasons; secrecy breeds suspicion. Be careful with your inner circle—if someone’s influence is unclear, people may suspect hidden corruption.
Avoid harshness; while severity inspires fear, roughness breeds hatred. Even criticism should be dignified, not mocking. On the other hand, being too lenient is worse than taking bribes because it leads to constant pressure from others. Solomon wisely said, “Showing favoritism is never good; such a person will do wrong for even a small reward.”
As the saying goes, “A position reveals a person’s true character.” Some people rise to greatness and become better, while others deteriorate. Tacitus wrote of Galba, “Everyone thought he was fit to rule until he actually ruled.” Yet of Vespasian, he wrote, “He was the only ruler who became better with power.” A noble spirit is one that grows with honor because honor is the home of virtue. Just as things in nature move violently toward their proper place but settle peacefully once there, ambition is aggressive, but authority should bring calm.
Climbing to power is never straightforward—it’s like navigating a winding staircase. If factions exist, it’s wise to align yourself with them on the way up but balance your alliances once you’re in power. Treat the memory of your predecessor with care; disrespecting them will invite the same treatment for you when you’re gone. If you have colleagues, involve them when they least expect it, rather than excluding them when they have the right to be involved.
Finally, don’t let your position define you in private conversations or daily interactions. Let people say of you, “When he’s in office, he acts like a leader; but when he’s among us, he’s just another man.”
Bacon Blueprint 