in power or 'borrowed' power?

Title: in power or 'borrowed' power?

Are you in power or 'borrowed' power? I just realised that. The highest position (e.g. owner of a company) gives anyone who commands in that rank, the mandate to lead his/her people. There are a certain way that i believe that some who do not belong to rank of kings, generals but still they do scare/frighten people through the powess of a ruler. As a ruler of kingdom, he is bestowed with the highest authority. Characters with close relation to the one holding great power can gain such power. For example, the king may place the assignment/subordinates under a certain person and thus that person may gain power. The person may seek to gain real power as the subordinates may not be in awe of him. So he could use cooperation as a reason. For him to use that reason, he understood that he could wield power under the approval of the king. Thus when the king is not around, the person may threaten in the name of the king and all the rebellious may fall to their feet, tremble at him as though the king possesses the person.

Thus, cooperation with the king shall see one gaining power. It does not gain much respect though since threats in the name of the king may come into play.