Some books on leadership that come from business executives have actually discovered
this sense of human power. These business leaders discover that people do need meaning
(“values”) in their lives. They need a “narrative” in which their lives make sense. A few words of
praise or comfort can make a big difference in daily life.8 But a would-be leader who thinks he
can put meaning into people’s lives is deluded. What he or she might do is provide a setting in
which people can listen to one another and find resources within themselves in their relation to
others. This is not a new idea. As was written several thousand years ago, “When the best
leader’s work is done, the people say: We did it ourselves.”