Terence Moore, former president of MidMichigan Health in Midland, outlined in an op-ed for the Midland Daily News things that organizational power isn't all about — and the importance of not misusing it.
"Organizational power is sometimes called legitimate power or 'power of the prince.' It's the power that comes from holding a particular position," the former hospital chief wrote in the Dec. 1 op-ed. "It's fickle, and will be gone the day you leave your position. But while you have it, don't misuse it."
Here are five things Mr. Moore wrote organizational power shouldn't be all about:
1. Instructing others to serve you. "If you aren't committed to being of service to those you lead, you have no business being in a leadership position," he wrote.
2. Praising oneself and only sharing personal stories. Rather, those who head up organizations should solicit thoughts, observations and recommendations from others, he said.
3. Spending too much time disconnected. "Effective leaders return phone calls, emails, texts, and other communications within 24 hours," he wrote.
4. No more learning. "Complacency is a disease," Mr. Moore wrote.
5. Success. "It's sometimes about overcoming frailties and failure. If you haven't failed and failed big, there's a high probability it's because you haven't been around very long," he wrote.
To view the full op-ed, click here.