A local board decided that they alone knew what was best for a community.  They refused to listen to what the people in the town wanted or thought about the situation.  They didn’t care that their decisions would cause undue hardship for the people in the area, forcing some to have to move.  The board denied any other options, even ones that made sense, if they were not aligned with their original position.  

But this type of autocratic way of “leading” never works for long.  People will rise up when the majority’s needs are not met.  You might feel that you can stifle the voices, but you can’t stifle them forever.  When you’re in a leadership position, you must consider the perspective of everyone involved.  Revolutions happen for a reason.  They happen because the people feel, or know, that they are not being listened to.  That their needs are not being met.  That leadership is out of touch.

If you’re in a position of power, you may indeed feel powerful.  But that power can be taken away if it is not used correctly.  The community board was eventually voted out. Customers and employees know when something is done for their best interest or for yours.  Which do you think they prefer?  Don’t think it matters what they prefer?  Well, good luck with that.