Empowerment

Some Practical Questions & Answers

What is empowerment?
It is a management approach designed to give frontline employees the authority they need to do what needs to be done without having to check with management. In spite of all the favorable buzz, there is little hard evidence that it has really made much difference in routine organizational life. Some empowerment does exist and, when accompanied by accountability and appropriate guidance, it can lead to increased employee and customer satisfaction. Significant employee empowerment is rare, and it is not easy to initiate or maintain.

What are some of the common myths about empowerment?

Everybodys doing it. Its easy. Every manager wants empowered employees. Every employee wants to be empowered. All the manager needs to do is leave the empowered employees alone.

What are some guidelines for effective employee empowerment?

Select the right managers. Choose the right employees. Provide training. Offer guidance. Hold everyone accountable. Build trust. Focus on relationships. Stress organizational values. Transform mistakes into opportunities. Reward and recognize. Share authority instead of giving it up. Encourage dissent. Give it time. Accept increased turnover. Share information. Realize that empowerment has its limitations. Watch for mixed messages. Face your own ambivalence Involve employees in decision-making. Be prepared for increased variation.

Chose the right managers.

Why?
Not every manager is capable of being a coach instead of a boss. Facilitators are born, not made. Controlling micromanagers will always slip back into their old ways. Pick the wrong managers and everyone will see that you are only giving lip service to the idea.

How?
Select leaders who are already empowering their colleagues routinely. Confront dictatorial leaders. Give them a fair chance to change, but make it clear that their odds of success are not good. Call attention to leaders who are doing it right, and encourage young leaders to select them as mentors.

Select the right employees.

Why?
Not every employee wants to be empowered. Only a minority of employees want to work this hard. Announce that everyone is empowered and watch the work come to a grinding halt. Only volunteers are eligible.

How?

Identify those people already taking the initiative. Explain the risks and benefits of empowerment, and then wait for those who want to stretch to step forward. Share information openly, and then identify those with good instincts, confidence and the willingness to take risks.

Provide adequate training.

Why?
The inclination to take the initiative is natural, but effective techniques are acquired through learning and polished through experience. Those permitted to flail about aimlessly will quickly grow discouraged and withdraw. Training increases confidence and encourages risktaking.

How?

Identify the most common challenges they will face. Demonstrate attitudes and behaviors most likely to be successful. Point out that nothing works every time. Celebrate every incremental improvement; perfection is in short supply. Enlist them as trainers ASAP.

Share information.
Why?
Information really is power. Everyone overestimates how much leaders know. Sharing your information encourages others to share too; their information may be the key. Data encourages analysis and discourages impulsive action.

How?

Begin by asking what information is needed. Encourage everyone to contribute to the information pool. Except for personal stuff, avoid secrets. Demonstrate openness. Invite questions and challenges. Change your position readily when new information demands reconsideration.

Hold everyone accountable.

Why?
Authority without accountability becomes self-centeredness. Every little bit of power is seductive. Unrestrained freedom is the seed from which tyrants grow. Individual freedom introduces increased variation into key organizational processes.

How?
Find out what happened. Ask why it happened? Inquire whether, on looking back, a better option might have been employed. Let the emotion of the moment pass. View mistakes as opportunities to grow Let the empowered associate come to that conclusion on her own.