Leadership, Power and the Evolutionary Difference of Fakafekauaga

By Falalahemotu Makapatama and Makapatama (George) Founders and Leveki – Guardians and Stewards of Fakafekauaga-Servantship, FakaFekauaga Catalyst (FFC) www.fakafekauagacatalyst.com

Kamataaga – Introduction

At FakaFekauaga Catalyst (FFC), we frequently engage in discussions about management, leadership, power and service. Some of our readers have shared feedback on our assertion that leadership is inherently tied to power, arguing instead that leadership is about influence, while power belongs solely to management. This distinction is common in Western thought, where leadership is viewed as aspirational and empowering, while management is seen as structured and controlling.

We want to be clear: we fully understand the conventional distinctions between leadership and management. However, the assumption that leadership is purely about influence and separate from power does not stand up when examined closely. Influence is a form of power. Leaders, regardless of intent, use power to shape decisions, guide behaviour and mobilise action. Even the most ethical and transformational leaders exert power through authority, expertise, relationships and incentives.

This article seeks to clarify why leadership, like management, depends on power and how Fakafekauaga presents an alternative model, one that does not rely on power at all, but instead emphasises service as sacred reciprocity.

Yukl on Leadership and Power

A common argument we hear is that leadership is about influence, not power, whereas management is about power and control. However, leadership scholars such as Gary Yukl have long established that influence and power are inseparable. Leadership, by definition, requires the ability to influence others, and influence itself is a form of power.

Yukl identifies five key sources of power that leaders use, whether consciously or unconsciously:

1. Legitimate power – authority granted by position

This is the power that comes from formal authority. A CEO, a government official or an executive leader does not need to coerce people to follow them; their title alone grants them power over decision-making, resources and direction. Even in organisations that promote ‘servant leadership’, the reality is that a CEO still holds decision-making power over employees, including policies, hiring, and firing.

2. Expert power – influence derived from knowledge and skills

A leader does not always need a formal position to hold power. Expertise itself grants power, as people tend to follow and trust those who are perceived as knowledgeable or highly skilled. This is seen in academia, technology and innovation-driven industries, where leaders hold authority because of their expertise rather than their job title. However, expert power still creates a hierarchy. Those who lack knowledge are dependent on those who have it, reinforcing power dynamics.

3. Referent power – power through charisma and relationships

Often confused with moral authority, referent power is the influence leaders gain through charisma, personality and personal connections. Figures such as politicians, movement leaders, and corporate influencers leverage their personal appeal to gain loyalty and persuade others. Even the most ethical and inspirational leaders, including transformational leaders, rely on power to shape people’s beliefs and actions.

4. Reward power – the ability to offer incentives

Leaders use rewards to shape behaviour and encourage compliance. This could be financial incentives (bonuses, raises), career advancements (promotions, access to exclusive opportunities), or even symbolic recognition (awards, praise, prestige). Even in progressive leadership models, leaders use reward power to motivate employees or followers toward specific goals—which is still an exertion of power.

5. Coercive power – the ability to impose consequences

While often seen as the most negative form of power, coercion is still widely used in leadership. This is not just about punishment; it includes subtle pressures such as exclusion, removing privileges, performance reviews or social consequences within a team. Even leaders who claim to be empowering rather than controlling still use coercion to drive accountability and enforce rules.

The Two Faces of Leadership Power: Personalised vs. Socialised Power

Yukl also makes an important distinction between:

• Personalised power – Self-serving, controlling, and used for personal gain. This is the form of power most associated with authoritarian leadership, ego-driven leaders, and power-hoarding behaviours.

  
  

• Socialised power – Used to empower others, create collective success and serve a higher purpose. This is often associated with ethical leadership, transformational leadership and servant leadership.

Many who argue that leadership is separate from power associate socialised power with empowerment rather than control. However, even socialised power still involves mobilising others through influence, persuasion and decision-making authority. A leader using socialised power still dictates direction, determines priorities and ultimately holds power over others, even when done with good intentions.

Why Fakafekauaga Does Not Need Power

Whilst not commonly discussed or acknowledged, Western models assume power is necessary for leadership, even in its best forms. Fakafekauaga—Servantship, however, does not engage with power at all. While Fakafekauaga may be compared to servant leadership, the difference is clear: servant leadership still requires a leader, even if humble. Fakafekauaga does not. It is not about leading others in service, but rather about being in service as an inherent way of life.

As my grandparents would say:

“Kaufakalataha a mutolu ti moua e tau Monuina”(Work together/stay together, and we will be blessed/achieve everything we want.)

Fakafekauaga is not about leading, influencing, or guiding others, it is about fulfilling our responsibilities to one another and the land. In Niuean village life, we practice sacred reciprocity, recognising the life force of the land and people. Both are tapu—sacred, and how we serve determines the blessings or consequences that follow, not just for us but for future generations.

Fakafekauaga vs. Western Leadership Thought

To those accustomed to leadership paradigms, this can be difficult to grasp. Power and leadership have been seen as inseparable. To clarify, here’s how Western leadership contrasts with Fakafekauaga:

Western Leadership Thought (Yukl, et al.)	Fakafekauaga—Servantship
Leaders need power to influence others	Power is unnecessary; service sustains the whole
Leadership is about mobilising people toward a goal	Service is about fulfilling responsibilities to others
Ethical leadership uses power to empower others	Servantship requires no power; only deep reciprocity
Leadership can be individual or hierarchical	Servantship is collective—no one “leads” alone
Influence is key to creating change	Service naturally fosters evolution

Service as Sacred Reciprocity

Unlike leadership, which seeks to guide, control or direct, Fakafekauaga is about relational stewardship—with people, land and the spiritual world.

• In Western systems, people talk about corporate social responsibility; Fakafekauaga embodies genuine responsibility — not as an external duty but as an inherent way of being.

• The land remembers, the ancestors remember, and future generations will either benefit or suffer based on how we serve today.

• Service is not optional; it is how balance is maintained, how blessings flow, and how communities sustain themselves across generations.

Fakaotiaga – Conclusion

This is not just a village philosophy; it is a model for sustainability, well-being, and true evolution. As the world faces crises of leadership, climate, and disconnection, Fakafekauaga offers a way forward:

• No individual holds power, because the well-being of all is a shared responsibility.

• No one needs to be led, because when we honour service, we instinctively do what is needed.

• No one is above or below, because life itself depends on mutual care.

At FFC, we believe Western systems, built on leadership and power, are struggling to address complexity. Fakafekauaga has always known the answer:

"I do not need to lead. We need to serve."

Reference:

Our gratitude and acknowledgment - Fakaue lahi mahaki

In our Niuean oral culture, knowledge acquisition is deeply rooted in the tradition of observing our elders engaging with one another and our environment, gathering around our matua (parents) and tupuna (elders/grandparents) and attentively listening to their stories. Through this immersive experience, we each embark on a personal journey of sense-making, extracting valuable insights from these dialogues, known as talanoa.

In a departure from the rigid conventions of Western academic writing, where referencing and quoting are paramount, we intentionally embrace a more fluid approach, returning to our oral and cultural traditions. While acknowledging the great influence of specific elders or individuals who have shaped our thinking, we invite you to embark on your version of talanoa by engaging with the written works left behind by these wise sages. In simple terms, read them yourselves or seek out their audience to listen and derive your own meaning. By doing so, as we have done, you can forge a connection with their wisdom, assimilate knowledge and craft your own unique interpretations. We believe this process will empower you to cultivate a deep understanding, encapsulating the essence of talanoa while fostering an appreciation for the diverse perspectives available to us in our villages, communities, cities and worldwide. And so, we offer heartfelt gratitude and deep appreciation in humble tribute to the revered elders and invaluable individuals below who have influenced our emotional and intellectual landscape, instilling wisdom and guiding our pens to express our thoughts and interpretations of their multi-layered insights:

• First and foremost – all of our magafaoa (families) and elders (matua/tupuna).

  
  

• Secondly – to all elders and people whose knowledge and experiences we have referenced throughout this reflection – fakaue lahi mahaki. Gary Yukl is one such elder whose work on leadership and power has informed this discussion. We invite readers to explore Yukl’s work for themselves to interpret and derive their own understanding from it.

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