EMPOWERMENT

EMPOWERMENT

A Way Of Life

JOHN TSCHOHL

All CEOs believe their employees are empowered.  But reality is that it doesn’t happen, and actually empowered employees or situation just don’t exist.  Empowerment is a myth in the management world, because in reality the employees are afraid to make even the smallest decisions.  The definition of empowerment is to give power or authority to, or to authorize.  Empowerment is all about creating an environment that gives employees the authority to make fast decisions to benefit customers.  Empowered employees create happy customers.

Empowerment is also about responsibility- the responsibility to use their authority efficiently, appropriately and to the greatest effect.  In short empowerment means working quickly and efficiently.  The speed of thought, action, and consequences are the tools of the empowered worker.

The most important assets in any organization are its employees, and consistently across the world they are the least paid, least trained and least appreciated.  People are driven more by recognition than by money.  Ideas and creativity are the fuel of the future.  Thus employees are supposed to be hired for attitudes and trained for skills.  Organizations always say they want creative individuals who can think outside the box.  Thus the goal is to hire people who aren’t afraid to stand out.  Unfortunately the system is set up such as such that they hire those who fit in.

Information is the key to success and satisfaction in the workplace.  The more information you have, the better equipped you are to make a good decision.  Feedback is a vital ingredient in becoming the best, most productive and valuable employee.  Remember not to get defensive when receiving feedback.

The ability to ask for help and delegate authority is not a sign of weakness.  Actually, delegation and engagement is the cornerstone of teamwork.

Empowerment is based on responsibility and trust.  The glue that holds all relationships together including the relationship between the leader and the led is trust, and trust is based on integrity (Brian Tracy< American Speaker, Trainer and Self-help Author).  For empowerment to work there must be recognition and celebration.  And for empowerment to succeed, clear parameters need to be defined.  Being empowered does not give you the authority to create your own dictatorship where you get to call all the shots.

Make small changes that make a big difference.  People are motivated to work harder when they are part of the decision.  Don’t we all want people to seek us out because they like to work with us?