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Employee Empowerment
This article provides insight into empowering your staff. You may ask yourself why you would want to do that or how this could be done. Empowerment of staff is not something that happens without a conscious effort by the manager. For most managers it is difficult to give up control to others.
You may find that some staff don't want to be empowered. It is frequently easier for staff to be compliant followers, rather than take the initiative.
You may also ask yourself if you really want to give up your power. Some managers believe that knowledge is power. Therefore, if you have all the knowledge, it follows that you must also have all the power. But, do you?
Empowering subordinates is hard and complicated work. This often means you have to develop people, which is initially more time consuming than solving the problem on your own. It is important to mentor and provide opportunities for others' growth. Empowering others is a skill that sometimes needs to be developed.
An empowering manager must learn to share power and information. He must also solicit input from others, encourage participation and reward people. True empowerment is sharing accountability and managing people more as colleagues than a boss.
Employees want to be listened to, acknowledged and to have their feelings respected. An empowering manager honestly gives specific praise and constructive criticism while avoiding being judgmental. Channel your energies toward active, cooperative communications and interactions. Encourage employees to become goal-oriented problem solvers.
What do you have to gain by empowering staff?
What does your organization gain by empowerment of staff? First of all, managers gain time. You may ask how you gain time by empowering staff. The answer is that you gain what is known as discretionary time.
Once staff have adjusted to taking responsibility and making decisions, you will be relieved of making all their decisions for them. This is commonly called 'giving the monkey back to its rightful owner'.
Effectiveness in developing employees is critical. If the competence of the employee is low, then the manager will spend a great deal of time and involvement with the employee. As the competence of the employee increases, the involvement of the manager is less and less necessary for effective performance.
The extent of the manager's involvement correlates directly to the competence of the employee. Effective managers should work toward being primarily an observer to their employees.
Sterling Institute identifies the 4 levels of a manager's involvement as being doer, coach, counselor and observer. Doer is obviously the highest level of involvement with staff and observer the least.
How do you develop an employee?
By identifying opportunities within the employees' responsibilities and making their assignments effective developmental experiences. Assess the impact of your management style and practices on the motivation, productivity and development of your staff.
Reach agreement with your employees on their strengths and the opportunities they have to increase their effectiveness. Identify potential obstacles or problems that you may encounter and make plans to overcome them.
Empowerment thrives when the whole organization buys into it, both formally and informally. Empowerment depends on a trusting environment between the manager and his subordinates.
There must be continuing dialogue and partnership. Employees must truly take the initiative and not fear failing in front of their boss. Stephen R. Covey states, "Managers who live with integrity according to a principle-based value system are most likely to sustain an empowering style of leadership."
According to Sterling Institute, empowered employees feel a sense of impact and are willing to make an extra effort when they feel that expected results are realistic and depend on what they do. They achieve satisfaction from their own and the group's work. They take initiative, hold themselves accountable and are willing to make decisions.
In 10 Steps to Empowerment, Diane Tracy writes there are ten principles for empowering people.
1. Tell people what their responsibilities are.
2. Give them authority equal to the responsibilities assigned to them.
3. Set standards of excellence.
4. Provide them with training, or mentoring that will enable them to meet the standards.
5. Give them knowledge and information.
6. Provide them with feedback on their performance.
7. Recognize them for their achievements.
8. Trust them.
9. Give people permission to fail.
10. Treat them with dignity and respect.
Why is empowerment an essential component of creating a high performance workplace?
The end result of empowerment is ownership. A high degree of ownership accelerates the ability to implement decisions.
Ask yourself these questions: What decisions that you currently make could be handed over to employees?
What steps do you need to take to hand over these decisions?
What benefits do you see in turning over these decisions?
Why not start today?
Acknowledgment to CCS Training Services, Inc.
Does empowerment work? See for yourself and view our testimonials!
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