The Monarch Energy in Leadership
Part 6: Stability, Authority, and Legacy
Every organization needs stability. While Heroes fight battles, Mentors pass on wisdom, and Tricksters challenge the status quo, it is the Monarch who ensures that the structure holds. The Monarch is the architect of order, the protector of the realm, and the guardian of legacy.
A great Monarch doesn’t lead for personal glory. They lead to create something that endures beyond them. They bring clarity in uncertain times, provide structure where there is chaos, and balance vision with pragmatism. Monarch energy is what turns a company from a fleeting success into an institution, a movement into a legacy.
But power is never easy to manage. Leaders who embrace the Monarch archetype without wisdom often fall into one of two extremes: they become obsessed with control and turn into Tyrants, or they fear upsetting the status quo and become Weaklings, failing to take action when needed.
True Monarch leadership requires strength without oppression, wisdom without detachment, and a focus on the long-term rather than short-term wins.
The Strength of the Monarch Leader
The Monarch archetype is the embodiment of authority, vision, and endurance. These leaders are not driven by the need for personal validation, nor are they reactive to every challenge. They operate with patience and foresight, making decisions that shape not just the present but the future.
One of the best examples of Monarch leadership is Warren Buffett. While other investors chase trends, Buffett has remained consistent for decades, focusing on long-term value rather than short-term gains. He has built Berkshire Hathaway into one of the world’s most successful investment firms—not through impulsive moves, but through calculated, disciplined decision-making.
Monarchs provide:
• Stability in times of uncertainty. They don’t panic. When crises arise, they keep a steady hand, guiding their teams through turbulence.
• A clear vision for the future. Monarch leaders aren’t just thinking about next quarter’s results—they are thinking about the next decade.
• A culture of accountability. They create strong structures that hold people to high standards, but without suffocating them with control.
• A legacy beyond themselves. They lead not for their own ego, but to build something that will outlast their tenure.
But even the strongest Monarchs can be undone by power’s greatest temptations.
When the Monarch Becomes the Tyrant
At their best, Monarchs create stability. At their worst, they become dictators. When power turns into paranoia, the Monarch’s energy morphs into the Tyrant—obsessed with control, dominance, and silencing opposition.
The Tyrant fears change, seeing it as a threat rather than an opportunity. They view disagreement as disloyalty and enforce compliance rather than trust. Over time, their leadership becomes isolated, cut off from the people they are supposed to serve.
A modern example of this is Howard Schultz’s return to Starbucks in 2022. While Schultz had originally built Starbucks into a global empire, his later return as CEO was marked by heavy-handed tactics. Instead of adapting to the growing push for unionization and evolving workplace demands, he cracked down on organizing efforts and dismissed dissent. What was once visionary leadership became rigid control, damaging the very culture he had spent years cultivating.
The Tyrant makes the fatal mistake of valuing power over people. And in the end, that power is always temporary.
When the Monarch Becomes the Weakling
Just as dangerous as the Tyrant is the Weakling Monarch—the leader who clings to tradition, avoids conflict, and refuses to make hard decisions. Weakling leaders become figureheads, holding a title but lacking real authority.
This happens in organizations where founders or CEOs fear disrupting the legacy they built. Rather than making tough calls, they delay action, hoping that problems will resolve themselves. Instead of leading, they become reactive, allowing their companies to drift into stagnation.
Consider Kodak’s leadership in the 1990s. Despite inventing digital photography, Kodak’s executives feared disrupting their film business. They hesitated to embrace the very technology they had pioneered, worried that it would cannibalize their existing success. Instead of evolving, they clung to the past—and by the time they acted, it was too late. The market had moved on without them.
Weakling Monarchs fail because they mistake preservation for leadership. They fear making the wrong move, so they make no move at all. But as any leader knows, inaction is a decision in itself—and often a fatal one.
Balancing the Monarch: Authority with Wisdom, Power with Purpose
The best Monarch leaders understand the weight of power and wield it responsibly. They provide stability without suffocation, authority without oppression, and vision without rigidity.
To avoid becoming a Tyrant or a Weakling, Monarch leaders must:
• Surround themselves with truth-tellers. A strong Monarch listens to diverse opinions rather than isolating themselves with yes-men.
• Make decisions for the long-term, not just the present. Monarchs lead with legacy in mind, ensuring their choices benefit the organization beyond their tenure.
• Adapt without losing direction. Strong Monarchs recognize that stability is not the same as stagnation. They evolve with the times while maintaining the core of their vision.
• Empower the next generation. The greatest Monarchs build not just organizations, but future leaders. They pass down wisdom and structure without clinging to power.
A Monarch’s success is not measured by how long they remain in power, but by what remains long after they are gone.
The Evolution of Leadership: Becoming a True Monarch
Leadership is not just about making an impact today—it’s about building something that lasts. The best Monarchs don’t lead for themselves; they lead to create stronger organizations, stronger people, and a stronger future.
Consider Jeff Bezos. After founding Amazon and shaping it into a tech giant, he did something that many leaders struggle to do—he stepped down. He understood that for Amazon to thrive in the long run, it needed new leadership, fresh perspectives, and a shift beyond his personal influence. Instead of clinging to his role, he handed the reins to Andy Jassy, ensuring that Amazon’s legacy could continue beyond him.
That is the mark of a true Monarch. They do not fear succession. They do not hoard power. They build structures so strong that they no longer need to be there.
Final Thoughts: The Monarch’s Legacy
The Monarch energy in leadership is about more than success—it’s about endurance. These leaders create institutions that outlast economic shifts, leadership changes, and even their own presence. They balance strength with humility, power with wisdom, and stability with evolution.
In the final article of this series, we will explore how great leaders integrate all archetypes—balancing the Hero’s courage, the Mentor’s wisdom, the Trickster’s disruption, and the Monarch’s stability to create leadership that is whole and lasting.
For now, ask yourself: Are you leading in a way that builds something greater than yourself? Or are you just holding on to power? The answer will define whether your leadership fades—or becomes a lasting legacy.