"For much of modern business history, power has meant control - over people, resources, and outcomes. It was defined by hierarchy and authority, celebrated within a narrow definition of success built on command and competition. But what if the very model that once built success is now holding us back? When a group of senior female leaders gathered at ESMT Berlin for our Women in Power program, I asked a simple question: "What does power mean to you?""
"The room fell silent. Then, slowly, the answers surfaced: Power became water - fluid, essential, everywhere. It became a bridge that connects people and ideas. It became the conductor of an orchestra, aligning harmony without playing a single note. No one spoke of dominance or control. They spoke of listening, courage, authenticity, and connection. For them, power wasn't only something to hold. It was something to use well - to create change, strengthen others, and act with courage in complexity."
Power has traditionally equated to control through hierarchy, authority, and command. Contemporary leaders increasingly define power as relational, fluid, and enabling — exemplified as water, a bridge, or an orchestral conductor. Women leaders describe power as listening, courage, authenticity, connection, and using influence to strengthen others and create change. Technology, hybrid work, and disruption have moved organizations from stable hierarchies to interdependent networks, demanding shared and contextual influence. Scholarship defines power as the means leaders have to potentially influence others, and studies and reports show organizations that move beyond command-and-control can achieve sustainable growth.
Read at Forbes
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