Authority is a funny thing. A true understanding of authority is demonstrated not by being in charge but in acknowledging where my authority begins and someone else’s ends. I find it ironic that many in authority often demonstrate an incomplete view and application of it because they get too used to getting thier own way. I have to check myself on this often. Am I demanding more authority from those who I lead or even those who I am led by? Authority is more than telling others what to do or getting our own way. Those who lead, including myself, can forget that if we are not careful. People with the responsibility will inevitably need authority to manage that responsibility and that blade cuts both directions away from myself. Great leaders empower those who they serve and lead both up and down the chain of command. They do so by understanding that authority is shared on a team and a good teammate manages their own authority by not demanding the authority that SHOULD be held by others and NOT them.