Power and Leadership Skills

Power and Leadership Skills

Power is a might of authority and influence. Leaders obtain power from five different sources. If a person possesses something that others cannot easily acquire is a powerful asset, and therefore such a person gains expert power. For example, an employee who has expertise in a particular area, he or she influences how juniors wok. Organizations use a grading system to position an employee to a given role. Power gained in such a move is positional power where one becomes the boss and can choose who does what job. An example is the CEO or head of a department in an organization. There is also reward power that a person acquires if he or she has potential to impact the behaviors or actions of other people when having control over important resources. An example is when a person can influence salaries or bonus in an organization. If a person has the perspective to impact others by sanctions or any other adverse action, such a leader acquires coercive power. Strong relationships between a leader and his or her followers, enables the leader to acquire personal power. Personal power is obtained by patient leaders since it takes much time to establish such relationships. Therefore, a leader may acquire power from any of the five sources of power. In the film “The Lion King,” leaders acquire power from any of the five sources of power.
The film “The Lion of the king” has three main characters who obtain power from different sources. Mufasa, Scar, and Simba.

Scar obtains coercive power since he murders his brother Mufasa and threatens Simba. He is jealous of his brother’s power, and that’s why he decides to murder him. Simba who is Mufasa’s son now become vulnerable and drives away thus Scar falsely claiming power as a leader. On the other hand, Mufasa, whose leadership was acquired as personal power portrays a good leader. He educates his offspring properly about good governance. He establishes a transformational leadership. Simba obtains leadership as the personal power with Timon and Pumbaa being his followers. Timon and Pumbaa changes from their positions as leaders to followers of Simba when they realize he is indeed the purpose King of ‘Pride Rock.’. Simba’s keenness and effective leadership qualities, sense of direction and passion for reclaiming Pride Rock motivates Timo and Pumbaa. They got fully committed to Simba’s cause and hence the difference in how Mufasa, Scar, and Simba got power.
When Scar becomes king, he forces the Lions to follow him. This proves that Scar has no ethics or honor. He would have no impact over the Lions without his title because they are less credulous than the hyenas (Maxwell, 2007, p. 53). Scar promises hyenas’ food and entry into pride lands in return for them to work for him. Surprisingly he uses them to complete his evil plans. Hyenas perceive Scar to be on their level but consider Mufasa powerful (Disney, 1998, p.69). Mufasa, on the other hand, demonstrates unconditional love. He does not use influence or force. Timon and Pumbaa rescue Simba. Simba understands attributes and makings his father had taught him. Therefore, when he returns to the Pride Lands, he performs his responsibilities being honest with his followers hence their contrast in representation on bases of power.
Scar’s leadership style is manipulative and transactional. Scar creates an unnatural coalition with the hyenas only to complete his sinful plans and have hyenas give him power. He would have small impact alone against the less trusting lions (Fairholm, 2009, p. 36). On the other hand, Mufasa provides transformational leadership. Simba follows his father’s footsteps and becomes a transformational leader. Being a servant leader Simba set a clear vision for his supporters and returns the Pride Lands to its former glory (Northouse, 2001, p. 71).
Scar’s behavior of dishonest and jealousy dominate his leadership. First, because of jealousy, he murders his brother Mufasa to take power. After he takes power, Scar’s leadership is full of dishonest as he establishes a transactional leadership that only in Scar’s Presence followers are submissive. When Scar is not around, followers disagree with his leadership behavior. Scar’s behavior motivates followers to betray him by pretending to be compliant but not giving an honest output of their job. This is evident when the hyenas were unable to kill Simba; they did not tell him. Scar’s behavior can have damaging special effects when applied to peoples’ lives difficult situations. Mufasa on his leadership, he is patient, understanding and compassionate. This is evident as he had invested much time to teach his son on how to be a good leader. Simba’s behavior is a humble, honest and servant leadership. The ‘Lion King’ film follows Simba’s journey from childhood to the level he become an effective leader. Over time, through a functional approach, leadership abilities can be established. Simba’s journey teaches how leaders are prone to face challenges and how to overcome them through persistence and courage. As a transformational leader, Simba provides ethical leadership and realizes that practices within Pride Lands need change to reinstate accord among his followers.
Organizations can experience negative or positive outcomes depending on how power is exercised. The film “The Lion King” informs on how power can be misused by people who do not have ethics like Scar contrary to how power can be handled with integrity by a people like how Mufasa and Simba.
References
Disney, W. (1998). The lion king [. California: Disney.
Fairholm, G. W. (2009). Organizational power politics: Tactics in organizational leadership. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.
Maxwell, J. C. (2007). Leadership laws: Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
Northouse, P. G. (2001). Leadership: [Hauptbd.]. Thousand Oaks: Sage.