The Nature of Authority.

From Middle English; “power derived from good reputation; power to convince people, capacity for inspiring trust."

We seem to have mislaid this version of authority and replaced it with a version based on role title, resources and other forms of hard power.

Increasingly, in politics, in sport, and in business those in power have little real authority.

Money is a temporary, fragile, source of power. Authority is something altogether more difficult to earn and retain, but infinitely more capable of changing what matters.

Nobody can give us authority.