Reposted from Tim Richardson

Power Without Character: The Leadership Test We All Face

Leadership has a way of revealing who we really are. Sometimes it brings out our best. Other times, it exposes habits and tendencies we didn’t realize we had. This week, I’ve been reflecting on how power - big or small - can subtly change people, and what it takes to lead without losing ourselves in the process.

If you’ve ever read J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, you’re likely familiar with Frodo and the One Ring. The ring doesn’t just give power, it distorts character. The longer it’s worn, the more it amplifies fear, control, and isolation. What makes Frodo compelling isn’t just that he carries the ring, but how hard he fights to remain himself under its influence.

Leadership can work the same way.

Most of us won’t carry a mythical ring, but we will, at some point, be handed authority, a title, a role, or responsibility over others. And just like the ring, that authority can quietly change us if we’re not careful. It can create a false sense of importance, a need to assert control, or a belief that position equals superiority.

I recently experienced this firsthand. At an event my wife and I were working, someone I’ll call Mary was put in charge for the evening. Almost immediately, her demeanor shifted. Her communication became sharp and forceful. She used intimidation and negativity to assert control, correcting people publicly and speaking in ways that diminished others.

I found myself on the receiving end of that behavior. In one interaction, she addressed me in a belittling way in front of others. It was frustrating, and if I’m honest, I didn’t handle it as well as I could have. I reacted instead of pausing, which only escalated the tension.

Two leadership failures happened in that moment, hers and mine.

That experience reminded me of something simple but difficult. If stepping into leadership changes your character, then leadership is revealing a problem, not creating strength. A title should not transform you into someone less kind, less patient, or less respectful. If it does, it’s not leadership, it’s insecurity wearing authority as a mask.

Strong leaders don’t get their identity from their position. They bring their identity into their position.

This idea extends beyond one interaction. Consider the recent situation involving veteran journalist Scott Pelley. While I’m not privy to all the details, reports suggest he faced consequences after openly criticizing leadership and refusing to walk back his comments. Whether you agree with him or not, it highlights another side of leadership, how we respond when we believe we’re right.

It’s difficult to stay humble in those moments. Most of us believe we’re right most of the time. But leadership, whether formal or informal, requires the ability to pause, reflect, and sometimes admit when we’ve crossed a line.

That’s where both stories connect.

Mary’s mistake was allowing authority to inflate her behavior. Pelley’s situation, at least from the outside, raises questions about how we handle conviction without losing humility. And my mistake was responding emotionally instead of thoughtfully.

All three point to the same truth. Leadership is less about control and more about character.

Whether you’re leading others or responding to someone in authority, the challenge is the same. Pause before reacting. Choose respect over reaction. Choose humility over being right.

I’ve learned that even when someone else is clearly in the wrong, you still have control over how you respond. In my case, I could have de-escalated the situation by taking a breath, collecting my thoughts, and responding with calm, even offering an apology to defuse the moment.

That’s not weakness. That’s leadership.

Because in the end, titles fade, roles change, and authority comes and goes. But character, how you treat people, how you respond under pressure, how you handle power, that’s what people remember.

And more often than not, humility wins.

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