Wikipedia:The real power is choosing not to act
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Administrators serve the community; they do not exercise sovereign "power". If they misuse their tools, they can be de-sysopped by the Arbitration Committee. However, there is one single power that all users, including administrators, have:
They are never required to use their tools.
Being able to refuse tasks is an important privilege gained by being a volunteer. After taking action, administrators must be accountable for their decision. However, not taking any administrative action at all is a perfectly valid choice that does not require explanation. It may seem to be counter-intuitive at first, but the only real power of administrators, and perhaps the most useful decision in most situations, is choosing not to act.