“When virtue is banished, ambition invades the minds of those who are disposed to receive it, and avarice possesses the whole community.” — Montesquieu, 1745
Leadership is not a set of perks. Leadership is the manifestation of duty to others.
Last week, we talked about the role of a leader as a steward of an organization, holding a place perhaps previously occupied by someone else and preparing it to be occupied by another.
A leader’s duty isn’t only to an organization, but to its people as well, as they think beyond themselves and consider the greater good.
It reminded me of a related concept called noblesse oblige.
Your Responsibility
Translated, noblesse oblige literally means “noble rank entails responsibility.”
The concept is neither new nor something born of the chivalric or feudal ages.
Noblesse oblige is an ancient principle infused in leaders and multiple cultural touchpoints throughout history.
It starts with the New Testament of The Bible:
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” — Luke 12:48
We see it extend to national policy in an inaugural address:
“Much has been given us, and much will rightfully be expected from us. We have duties to others and duties to ourselves; and we can shirk neither. We have become a great nation, forced by the fact of its greatness into relations with the other nations of the earth, and we must behave as be seen as a people with such responsibilities.” — Theodore Roosevelt, 1905
And perhaps the expression of it that is most familiar to the public, sourced from the debut of Spider-Man in Marvel Comics:
“With great power there must also come — great responsibility.” — Stan Lee, 1962
Each of these expressions carries the same message: there is a moral and ethical responsibility for those with more power to consider those without such privilege.
Theirs is a duty, directed not at their peers and counterparts in the halls of power and entitlement, but toward the less powerful or less fortunate, who benefit from the actions of leaders who care about them.
Related:
If You See Something, Say Something
The digital era has given megaphones to every corner of humanity, without distinction. And to paraphrase William Gibson, it isn’t evenly distributed — meaning there are some voices with an outsized influence.
One would hope that with the digital era comes a digital ethos: the responsibility to speak out or speak up when we see something that affects the least of our people.
Former White House photographer Pete Souza used words along with his photos to speak up when he saw something that concerned him, as seen on his social media accounts and in his book Shade.
In 2020, the documentary film The Way I See It provided more context into the life and career of this photographer who served presidents going back to Ronald Reagan.
His is the story of quiet and capable leadership, service to others, and exercising his noblesse oblige.
So should we all use our powers for the good of others.
It is noble. It is right. It is our duty.
There’s so much to learn,
Noblesse oblige in action TODAY: https://www.cjr.org/business_of_news/los-angeles-times-editorials-editor-resigns-after-owner-blocks-presidential-endorsement.php