Inspired by reading: “Authority, Power and Leadership – Contributions from Group Relations Training” by Anton Obholzer (2022)

Why write this?
As a social work professional and organisational consultant, I often find myself reflecting on how power, role, and authority are taken up — and avoided — in everyday work. This blog is part of that practice.

The internet is saturated with opinions and leadership advice. But here, I’m thinking aloud — drawing from real experience, psychodynamic thinking, and what it means to stay human in systems that aren’t always designed for it.

When Structure Fails
Reading Obholzer’s paper (2022) brought back memories of working in a self-governed charitable organisation. The group’s aim was to repair conflict between two opposing factions — but with no formal leadership, no role clarity, and no HR framework, the organisation quickly became a space of confusion and mistrust.

Staff didn’t know who to approach for safeguarding or grievances. Financial updates were inconsistent. Some members were excluded from key information. A fog of unspoken resentment and fractured communication settled in — one of the many benefits and misfortunes of opaque organisations. What remains hidden can sometimes preserve harmony temporarily — but in the long term, it fuels fragmentation and mistrust. These dynamics impact the individual, the group, and the organisation as a whole.

Without clearly delegated authority, the group was left with informal power struggles and chaos. There was no “container” — a concept familiar to anyone who works with systems psychodynamics.

What’s My Role? Who Holds the Budget?
The paper also helped me reflect on a previous role I held as a social work team manager. I once escalated concerns about staff wellbeing and requested funding for clinical supervision — only to be told it wasn’t “within my role.”

It was a sharp reminder that authority is delegated, and that even when you are the manager, your power has limits. While I had the authority to lead and supervise, I didn’t have control over budgets. That sat with the Head of Service.

My well-meaning instinct to act — to care — had unintentionally crossed a boundary. And that realisation stayed with me.

Three Types of Authority
Obholzer’s paper described three forms of authority:

Delegated authority – appointed by the organisation

Authority from below – when a group consents to your leadership

Authority from within – how you authorise yourself to lead

The third one fascinated me most.

Authority from within isn’t about job title. It’s shaped by our early relationships with authority — with parents, caregivers, teachers — and those dynamics play out again and again in leadership roles.

Some of us carry internal critics that make leadership feel unsafe or fraudulent. Others slip into omnipotence — unable to tolerate being challenged. Both positions create trouble in organisational life.

Authoritarian vs Authoritative
This reflection helped me distinguish two key positions:

Authoritarian leadership: reactive, rigid, driven by anxiety and control. Often linked to the paranoid-schizoid position (Melanie Klein).

Authoritative leadership: steady, self-aware, and able to tolerate difference. A more depressive position — grounded and reflective.

As I develop my practice, I find myself leaning more into the latter — but always staying alert to when fear or rivalry nudges me off-centre.

So What?
This reflection isn’t just about theory — it’s about impact.

When leaders get caught in rivalry, confusion, or unconscious dynamics, the people we support suffer. Staff lose trust. The primary task is forgotten. Burnout creeps in.

Reading this paper reminded me of the importance of:

Holding clear boundaries

Understanding my own relationship with authority

Staying aware of how group dynamics shape (and distort) leadership

It’s helped me become a better consultant, coach, and container.

Closing Thoughts
I’m not writing this blog to tell you how to lead. I’m writing to share what I’m learning — through reading, practice, and showing up in complex spaces.

Leadership is personal. It’s emotional. And it’s never finished.

Thanks for reading — and for reflecting with me.

With reflection,
Charlotte
Consultant | Social Worker | Educator & Systems Thinker