Legitimacy More Important Than Authority

A leader's legitimacy or recognition is important.

A leader's position and authority means nothing.

To establish a leadership position, it is essential for the people to recognize, support, and trust the leader before the leader can effectively wield their authority.

One of the failures of a leader is not getting support or cooperation from the people under him or her.

An elected leader does not make a leader legitimate. The leader must prove themselves to gain trust and confidence to lead.

Regardless of the general's skill, he must first establish his position before leading.

In his book, "The Art of War," Sun Tzu stated,

The official announcement and hiring of the Commander come from the rulers first. Then the Commander must be in harmony with the officers and troops.

Legitimacy more important than authority. Learn how to lead the Art of War way.

Why legitimacy is more important than authority for the leader to establish their position as a leader?

Without this acknowledgment, a leader is stripped of genuine cooperation and left only with formal mandates, which often leads to poor morale, resistance, and a breakdown in execution. 

In "The Art of War," we emphasized the importance of a leader's legitimacy.

In ancient China, the emperor practices the "Mandate Of Heaven". It is the position that the emperor inherited, but it does not mean it is legitimised. It is the duty for the emperor to fulfill his duty to the people in his kingdom.

The Mandate of Heaven (Tianming) was the foundational political and religious doctrine in ancient China, and it fundamentally tied an emperor's right to rule to his moral integrity and his performance as a leader. 

In modern context:

When you receive a leadership title due to owning your business or being appointed within your organization, you have been granted the "Mandate Of Heaven".

It is your responsibility to perform your duties and serve the best interests of everyone in the organization. This is how you legitimize your position as a real leader.

What can we learn by establishing your position from the Chinese emperor's "Mandate Of Heaven"?

Here are the core principles that defined this concept:

• Conditional Legitimacy: While the position of emperor was hereditary, the Mandate taught that heaven bestowed the right to rule based on merit. Simply inheriting the throne was not enough to guarantee legitimacy. 

  
  

• The Emperor's Duties: The emperor was known as the "Son of Heaven" and was expected to act as a moral guide. His duties included maintaining social harmony, ensuring justice, and providing for the welfare of the people. 

  
  

• Signs of Disapproval: If an emperor became corrupt, tyrannical, or failed to protect his subjects from hardship (like famines, floods, or rebellions), heaven was believed to express its displeasure through natural disasters or social chaos. 

  
  

• The Right of Rebellion: If the emperor failed in his duties, he will lose the Mandate, the people were granted the moral right to overthrow him. A successful rebellion was not seen as treason, but as proof that the ruling dynasty had lost the Mandate and that a new leader had earned it.

Here is why securing your position is so important:

• Voluntary Compliance over Coercion: When people believe you as a leader, your power power comes from voluntary or quasi-voluntary compliance rather than needing to force your authority. 

  
  

• Fostering High-Trust Teams: Trust serves as the factor that enhances team performance, enabling secure innovation and resilience in times of uncertainty.

  
  

• Minimizing Dissension: If you are a legitimized leader, it is less likely you will face constant pushback. This makes decision-making, taking risks, and executing company vision much faster and more effective. 

  
  

• Promoting a Positive Culture: Your employees will be willingly to follow you as a leader because your actions are seen as valid, competent, and aligned with shared values. 

  
  

Establishing validity and credibility is the most important part of being a leader; it requires consistent integrity and empathy.

The ultimate difference between leading and merely possessing a title often lies in how well a leader connects with their team's values. 

In The Art of War, legitimacy is more important than authority. We learn that commanders must earn their trust and confidence. Then the commander is ready to lead their battalion to battle.

All master strategists are great leaders embrace The Art of War philosophy.