1. Introduction

My hypothesis is that leadership does not exist without power as understood in a broad sense. Thus, we have to reflect on power in order to lay a theoretical foundation of responsible leadership. This article attempts to discuss different facets of the phenomenon of power. The aim is to give a concise summary of what a Christian leader should know about power in order to use his/her power in an appropriate way.

The approach of this article is interdisciplinary. Researchers from different academic disciplines have investigated the phenomenon of power. Often, these discussions are focused within one discipline: theologians quote other theologians and sociologists quote other sociologists. However, in both disciplines the intercultural aspects are often neglected. By combining insights from different disciplines, this article wants to contribute to a more holistic understanding of the phenomenon of power. This will enable us to derive ethical guidelines for responsible leadership from these insights, which is also the aim of this article. Since different academic disciplines contribute to the understanding of the phenomenon of power, we will consult these disciplines in order to obtain a theoretical basis for responsible leadership. Key aspects of the investigation of responsible leadership include: What is power? (Philosophical reflections, section 2); What does the Judeo-Christian worldview teach about the origin and the use of power? (Theology, section 3); How can power be exercised? (Sociology, section 4); and How is power perceived in different cultures? (Cross-cultural management theory, section 5).


1.1 Personal motivation

One cannot lead without power. This insight was not always evident to the author. Born in 1962, my German school education was influenced by the so-called "68-movement" which was very anti- authority. I was, therefore, strongly sceptical about hierarchy and formal power. In a somewhat naïve understanding of servant- leadership, I used to give talks titled "Leading without power". It took me some time to understand the following three facts about power:

  • Power is more than formal power
  • Power is not bad in itself
  • One cannot lead without power
Being a theologian I will especially consult the Judeo-Christian tradition. As a practical theologian I am eager to learn from the social sciences and cultural anthropology. As a protestant theologian I regard the Bible as the highest authority concerning ethical questions.