Does the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom have a point? Margaret Thatcher said “Being strong is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you are not.” What does this quote i trying to tell us? Should we consider it beyond gender roles and politics?
This quote implies that real power can only be seen through someone’s actions. It should come naturally because you cannot force authority or power on anyone. At least you can force it to some extent but true power will always be greater and more impactful than faking it. Her quote serves as a reminder to all of us that sometimes looking at the work done is the greatest method to judge someone’s capability to lead.
So what is power? And how should we use it? Power can come in many different ways but the first thing that comes to my mind is having authority over a group of people. We can give managers, businessmen, and politicians for example. These people influence their actions or even control their actions. When you have such power over people you should know how to control it. It is up to you whether you use your intelligence, charisma, or your physical strength in a positive way.
Power should come naturally. For example, a bully uses physical strength over the weak and intimidates them so they’ll be seen as powerful. If you constantly assert your superiority over the weak and declare yourself powerful, you are actually not that powerful! Forcing someone to follow you is only a temporary solution. You should respect a true leader and follow them willingly, not fear them. Being a woman is almost the same. According to the social norms “a true lady” should be graceful, humble, submissive, well-spoken, kind, a good listener, and many more… So if you have to tell someone that you are a lady that means you are not polite enough, not humble enough, not graceful enough to be “a true lady” in their eyes.
In conclusion, being powerful is about having confidence and having that aura that people can trust and follow. It has nothing to do with seeking approval from anyone else or constantly reminding everyone that you are better than them. A true leader should speak with his or her actions. By using their authority, wealth, connections, and talent to make people’s lives easier. They should not seek personal gain from any of their actions. So we can say if you have true power your actions will speak louder than your words