Fear Propaganda: How Fear Is Used to Control People

A terrified lady in surrender pose to demonstrate the effect of fear propaganda

In 1994, a Rwandan radio station spent months telling listeners their Tutsi neighbors were dangerous “cockroaches.” Researchers later estimated its broadcasts drove about 10 percent of participation in the genocide that followed. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He is the founder of The … Read more

Information Power: How Knowledge Becomes Influence

A lady surrounded by books, demonstrating information power

When a London hospital switched to a new scheduling system, the most powerful person on the ward for three months was not the head consultant. It was the junior administrator who had attended the training. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He is the … Read more

Coercive Power: Uses, Dangers, and Better Alternatives

A manager exercising coercive power on his employee

A Houston call-center supervisor posted daily rankings and threatened to fire the bottom three agents each week. Call numbers rose for a month, then quality collapsed and half the floor quit within a year. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He is the founder … Read more

Intuition in Leadership: When to Trust Your Gut

A leader in a thinking posture, showing that they best leaders rely on intuition for decision-making

In a case studied by psychologist Gary Klein, a fire lieutenant ordered his crew out of a burning house moments before the floor collapsed. He could not explain why; something simply felt wrong. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He is the founder of … Read more

Reward Power: How to Motivate With Rewards

Reward power in play as a man receives performance award

A Lagos sales manager began paying staff a bonus for every new customer. Sales jumped for three months, then collapsed when customers complained about pushy tactics and staff stopped helping each other. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He is the founder of The … Read more

Referent Power: Leading Through Respect and Trust

A man in the stage enjoying referent power he has over his fans

Mama Nkechi held no office in her village, but when two families quarreled over land, both sides agreed to accept her judgment. Decades of fairness had earned what no title could give. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He is the founder of The … Read more

Expert Power: How Knowledge Builds Influence

Expert power is a power that is not bought or asked for, but earned

When the hospital’s new software crashed during a night shift in Ohio, no one called the chief of surgery. Everyone paged Linda, a night nurse who had spent years learning the system inside out. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He is the founder … Read more

Social Power: The 6 Bases of Power Explained

Social Power is invaluable in influencing people and society

The office cleaner at a Kaduna firm had no title, yet managers checked with her before changing anything in the building. After twenty years, she knew where every pipe ran and who to call when things broke. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He … Read more

Transformational Leadership: The Four I’s Explained

Transformational leadership style is focused on inspiring, motivating and empowering team members

When Mrs. Nwosu took over a failing secondary school in Onitsha, she did not start with new rules. She told teachers what the school could become, and within three years, they were staying late without being asked. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He … Read more

Laissez-Faire Leadership: When Hands-Off Works

The laissez-faire leadership style is hands-free and flexible for employees

Dr. Bello hired two teams of brilliant researchers and left them alone. In one team, discoveries followed. In the other, arguments festered for months while he stayed in his office. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He is the founder of The Conducts of … Read more

Autocratic Leadership: Pros, Cons, and When It Works

Autocratic leadership style was prevalent in olden times

When fire broke out at a Lagos market, the officer in charge did not call a meeting. She gave orders, people obeyed, and everyone got out. Used every day at the station, the same style could drive her team away. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life … Read more

Democratic Leadership Style: How It Works

The democratic leadership style is all about inclusion

Mr. Okon asked his staff for ideas every Monday, nodded, and then did exactly what he had already planned. Within a year, the meetings were silent, and he could not see why. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He is the founder of The … Read more

4 Leadership Styles and When to Use Each

The 4 types of leadership styles that are common in businesses

Two headteachers ran neighboring schools in Enugu. One made every decision himself; the other let teachers help plan the term. When both fell ill for a month, only one school kept running smoothly. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He is the founder of … Read more

Leadership: What It Is and How to Lead Well

Subordinates pose around their leader in a display of quality leadership

When the church roof collapsed during the rainy season, nobody waited for the committee chairman. Everyone looked to Mama Titi, a trader with no title, who had the plan, the contacts, and the calm to get it fixed. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. … Read more

Quiet Leadership: How Reserved Leaders Get Results

A man demonstrating quiet leadership

At every staff meeting, Mr. Danjuma spoke last and said the least. Yet when the company faced layoffs, his department was the one where nobody quit and everyone pulled together. Pious ClementsPious Clements writes about character, conduct, and the deeper questions of how a life is lived. He is the founder of The Conducts of … Read more