To begin this intervention on authority and leadership, I will give the floor to Lao Tseu, whose reflection is particularly inspiring. It is said that one day, Lao Tzu was asked what should be done to improve beings without governing them. He replied cautiously, "Be careful not to trouble their minds. For the human mind is so made that it feels oppressed by any pressure and elated by any incitement. Oppressed it feels imprisoned and elated it may commit havoc. Flexibility and kindness prevail over violence and hardness that freezes like ice and burns like fire."

Etymologically, the word authority comes from the Latin "augere" which means to increase. And to increase is to reveal to the other that he is capable of more than what has been given to him by nature.

The issue of authority is to be otherwise more and better.

To be authoritative is to increase one's own self-confidence, which reflects on relational trust.

Authority is expressed in the relationship, benefits both protagonists and is part of a communication strategy and a relational attitude, that is to say in all the emotional aspects of the relationship.

When we are authoritative, we act. Persuasive communication is fundamental: convincing the head and the heart means reducing the mechanisms of resistance to which all growth subjects us. Authority is expressed in the relationship, puts in dependence.

In the case of Philippine, she put herself in a flexible complementary relationship, in a position of inferiority, to increase her room for maneuver and avoid inquiring into authority. When a difficulty in being authoritative manifests itself it is the reflection of a rigidity in the relationship, of a behavioral excess in which there is too much control or too much avoidance which contributes to rigidifying beliefs of the style "my collaborator is incapable" and when it gets complicated, rigidity is found at all levels.

 To exercise authority is to approach a circular process.

- benevolence towards the employee

- act of control which materializes by encouraging what is desire

- effective in expressing what is wrong

- firmness so that corrective actions are carried out by the collaborator and avoid doing it in his place when the performance is not sufficient or when the work is simply not done.

Initiative, autonomy, responsibility and authority are intimately linked.

How to Restore Failed Authority: The Valiant Knight

Gargantua, father of a son over whom he had no authority, whose education was impossible, who knew nothing, learned nothing, proved desperate. He then relied on Ponocrates (which means workaholic) to make him a brave knight.

From that moment, everything changed and the metamorphosis into a knight began. What did Ponocrates do? He initially observed with benevolence, tolerance, the situation, the bad habits installed and the resources of the system. He didn't make a change right away. He implemented an achievable, realistic, temporalized change plan adapted to the young man's abilities and made a responsible control system productive.

With all the discipline and rigor applied, he remained attentive to putting flexibility into the relationship, provided for informal exchanges, freedom, playfulness, to ensure that the relationship remained pleasant despite the focus put in place. work. He made learning fun.

This authority has allowed everyone to fulfill themselves. Gargantua has certainly transformed, but he has allowed Ponocrates to gain authority.

It is possible to restore authority if we restore the vital impetus, a factor of individual health, for the collaborator but also for the collective, throughout the chain and at the organizational level. The organization then becomes more efficient, innovative and adapted to the constraints to be faced.