Types of authority

There are different types of authority and confusing them can lead to problems.

A person can know a lot about a topic or thing and may be considered an authority by us. We trust them to inform us as to how we can wisely engage with their expertise domain. We do not always take their advice but then they cannot expect us to simply obey them. We are responsible for ourselves and we are not their responsibility unless they are legally obliged to. Thus we can see such people as having knowledge authority.

When we talk about the authorities, we mean people like the police or others who can force a change in how we conduct our lives. They have that authority because they can invoke state licensed violence to force us to obey what they direct us to do. We can see them as having command authority because of their coercive capabilities.

While growing up our parents are a blend of both, though they may bias towards one more than the other. However, as we approach adulthood, we expect less command authority from them, though they may feel they are still entitled to exert it. It is important to learn to internalise command authority so we are more in control of our lives, and are more resistant to others trying to enforce command authority over us in excess of the relationship they have to us.

When we go to work, we are immersing ourselves in a hierarchy of command authorities, but they still have legal limitations which they may try to exceed, perhaps by implication of how they may affect our working lives, or these days about how much of our lives are under their control. They preferably should provide enough knowledge authority for us to properly do our work with competence and confidence.

It is in this sea of knowledge and command authorities that we may get confused, and thus be overly influenced by others, either by being in awe of their knowledge or fear of the disruption or violence they can bring our way. To navigate all this, we have to set clear boundaries, both in us and with others. Internally so we know when boundaries have been exceeded, and externally so we can operate with others in appropriate ways. When we are clear about our boundaries, we can act with maturely about what we are prepared to expect, tolerate, or refuse to put up with from others.

How we internalise authority will define how well we are actually in control of our lives. If we are reactive, we are at the mercy of external actions by others, and thus my be manipulated by them because they know what will trigger us to respond how they want. If we take control of how we want to think and feel, we are being proactive, and thus far less controllable by others. We can then choose to cooperate, walk away, or stand up for ourselves.