Leading ThroughSample

Moral Authority

Every leader exercises authority on two levels. Positional authority is like that of a father, mother, manager, owner, boss, executive, police officer, teacher, or coach. We pay attention to those people because they have a position or role in our lives. The second level of authority has nothing to do with position. It has everything to do with influence. The people who have the most influence in our lives often have little to no actual official authority over us. They have an authority that extends beyond the title or even a time frame. They have what we're going to call moral authority.

They have moral authority because there's alignment between what they say and what they do. There's alignment between what they expect of us and what they expect of themselves. Moral authority is the credibility they've earned by walking their talk. It's the alignment between who they claim to be and who we discover they really are. Moral authority equates to influence. 

We are more easily influenced by people we respect, and moral authority creates respect. When someone lacks moral authority, it's hard to hear what they're saying, not because of what they're saying, but because of who's saying it.

Moral authority—or the influence that we get from walking our talk—is always important. But it is more important than ever during times of uncertainty and disruption. The Old Testament provides us with a ringside seat to the story of a leader, Nehemiah, whose moral authority gave him extraordinary influence during a time of national instability and uncertainty.

The reason Nehemiah’s words carried so much weight was the way he had conducted himself for the 12 years he’d been back in the city of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah’s reputation preceded him, and it stood in stark contrast to all the previous governors. Twelve years of walking his talk added weight to his words. Twelve years of expecting of himself what he expected of others gave him influence he otherwise would not have had. The life he had lived, the decisions he had made, his genuine concern for the people, his lifestyle, and lack of entitlement all shamed the nobles into submission. That is good leadership, and that's the kind of leader we would like to follow. That's the kind of leader we should all become. It really goes back to this one idea—moral authority.

Moral authority is essential during times of disruption and uncertainty. To be clear, moral authority is not essential for leadership. You can lead without it. You can parent without it. You can manage without it. But you cannot be a leader worth following without it. You will not maintain your influence without it.