Empowerment

Sep

2017

Empowering or Dumping?

Are you tired and overwhelmed? Do you feel like you have too much on your plate? Do you lead a large organization, a small business or just a team of some sort? What do you need to do in order to get some of the work off your plate? . . . Empower others.

What is empowerment though? Is this simply handing off an assignment or task to someone else and telling them “just do it.”? Actually that is what I would call “dumping.” Dumping is the boss who doesn’t want to do a certain task and simply hands it off to someone else with no explanation why or how it fits into the bigger picture. Some bosses are experts at dumping stuff off their plate onto those they lead with no support or vision for the task.

In talking recently with some small business owners we discussed this concept of dumping versus empowering and they came up with a few principles that demonstrate a leader is trying to empower and not just dump.

Intention – when a leader is handing off a task to someone else they should take time to explain why they are giving the individual this responsibility. Maybe by someone else doing this task it enables the leader to have time to help grow the business and meet the needs of more customers and employees. Another reason would be to help the individual grow through entrusting them with greater responsibility. These are only two possible intentions which the leader may have.
Give the person power – em-power – give power to the individual. If a leader entrusts a task to someone then they need to set clear expectations with a clear vision for the bigger purpose of the task. After that, the leader needs to resource the individual with all he or she needs to accomplish the task. Clear expectations help the individual know the boundaries they are to work within and what the ultimate result looks like. Without resourcing the individual may feel he or she does not have the necessary tools for success.
Gratitude – This may seem to be a simple concept, but simply thanking the individual up front and showing gratefulness for the time they are about to put in on the task can help improve the results you get from the person. When we are appreciated for what we do it makes us want to put greater effort into our work.

When you look at these three areas what is your intention when you give a task to someone else? How can you give more power to those you are entrusting responsibility to? What are some specific ways you can show gratitude for a person’s work? Maybe you need to take a moment and ask those you lead if they feel empowered to do their job. What action step do you need to take today?

Aug

2017

Are you a Control Freak?

As a type A personality I confess I can be a real pain to other people. I often struggle with wanting control and I think that in having complete control I am leading well. The first problem with that thinking is I can only control so much therefore I limit my effectiveness. The second problem with that is I may think I am empowering others when I give them a project to work on, but in reality I am not.

“You are giving away control” you may say thinking that you are empowering. What happens after the project, job, task is handed off? This reveals the truth of whether I am a truly empowering leader. I once had a boss who did not understand the details of my daily work and expected me to do certain aspects in a particular way without taking time to understand what I do. This boss is an example of a micromanager.

When I hand off a task and then try to make sure the task is done exactly how I would do it . . . I am neither delegating nor empowering, but I am micromanaging and probably making that individual or team feel like they are chained down. On the other hand if I provide expectations and the end goal I want accomplished and check in on progress on a regular basis I am then macromanaging and empowering others. In his book The New Psycho-Cybernetics Dr. Maxwell Maltz states: “The micromanager often inhibits the growth and prosperity of the organization; the macromanager often liberates it.”

As a leader and person I want people to feel empowered to use their talents and abilities to lead and grow to their full potential. I need to be aware of my own insecurities, provide clear direction and see the reality that others can do many projects better than me. General George S. Patton put it this way: “Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.” (emphasis added)

Are you like me and you need to simply take a deep breath, relax, and trust the competent people around you? When we do this better we add value to others and are on our way to becoming leaders that others will want to follow.

Jan

2017

Go Ahead, Make My Day – Leading Like Clint Eastwood?

“Go ahead, make my day” is what we think of when we hear Clint Eastwood. Maybe you imagine a man who is angry and extremely demanding. You may like him or you may not, but recently I watched one of the extra features on the movie Sully and learned some leadership lessons from how he directs movies.

As I watched this documentary I realized that he embodies empowerment to those he directs. As an actor he understands what is expected of actors. Those that worked with him on this movie said he created an atmosphere of peace. He simply lets the work occur. How does he demonstrate empowerment?

Leadership expert John Maxwell in his book Developing the Leaders Around You: How to Help Others Reach Their Full Potential says there are three things people need to feel empowered:

1. Security – As I reflect on what was said about Clint Eastwood this is the first need he met. Through the comments of numerous actors involved in this movie I heard that he created security by simply providing an atmosphere of peace. Actors did not feel they were going to be yelled at or criticized because Clint is silent most of the time when he directs. They may have been given suggestions and had Clint to think with on how to do the work better, but they never felt threatened. This safe environment led to the second part of empowerment Maxwell gives.

2. Freedom – Since the actors felt safe they had the freedom to let their natural gifts come forward. Mr. Eastwood knows what it means to be an actor therefore he has empathy for the stresses, both positive and negative, those he leads feels. I would assume because of this empathy he intentionally creates the atmosphere of security mentioned above so the actors can operate out of their strengths.

3. Opportunity – During this documentary the actors explained that Clint does not do “takes”. He allows the scene to happen and keeps the cameras rolling through the entire scene. He may film the entire scene more than once, but he will not stop midway. This practice gives the actors opportunity to work without fear of failure. For example, one scene in this movie Tom Hanks was struggling to figure out how to release the life raft so it didn’t look “perfect,” but in the end it was real. The real Captain Sullenberger also struggled to figure out how to release the raft. Opportunity provides room for growth and creating something special.

So in whatever you lead, do you direct like Clint Eastwood? Do you provide those you lead with a safe environment to function? Do they feel they are free to be themselves or are they feeling pressure to be something that does not fit their natural strengths? Do you give them opportunity to be stretched and grow in their strong areas or develop new skills you see but they may not be aware they have? What is one way you can grow in your empowering leadership skills today? Comment below and share with others if you found this helpful.