Leaders must connect with followers – Professor Alabi

A former Vice Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies Accra (UPSA), Prof. Joshua Alabi, has admonished leaders to make good use of the power vested in them by the people.

The Russia-trained Ghanaian academic believes leaders become efficient and successful when they share power among members or subordinates.

“There is no leadership without shared power,” the former Greater Accra Regional Minister said in his statement, adding that “Leadership is negotiated power between the leader and the members.”

In his article, Professor Alabi posited that when power is not shared well, it could result in a situation where subordinates or persons who are supposed to benefit from same resort to various ways to take back the power of the leader.

“Some people can use silence to take part of the leaders power. Others can use tears, others use information, others use association and others use their expertise and contributions to negotiate their own part of the power,” he said.

Professor Alabi also touched on the importance of negotiating power to the benefit of others, saying, "...A great leader is one who can understand the psychology of power negotiations and can use that to move the people to achieve both their collective, individual goals and aspirations.”

Below is his statement;

Leadership – shared or absolute power

Leadership is negotiated power between the leader and the members. How well the leader can negotiate the shared power and distribute it appropriately determines the extend of effectiveness.

There is no leadership without shared power. Some people can use silence to take part in the leaders power. Others can use tears, others use information, others use association and others use their expertise and contributions to negotiate their own part of the power.

A great leader is one who can understand the psychology of power negotiations and can use that to move the people to achieve both their collective, individual goals and aspirations.

Prof Joshua Alabi

August 20th, 2019