Have you heard a manager friend complain about how they can never be gone for vacation or job-related seminars or conferences because they can't trust their employees for that long? If so, they have not found the principal of empowerment...
Empowerment means a degree of freedom for a manager and, perhaps even more important, fulfilled and developed employees...
Empowerment - The Holy Grail Of Management
Many managers have worked their way up in an organization and feel a close relationship with being in the thick of the work.
This is an insecurity issue - they feel their job is threatened if they are not the one making the call.
It's a two-fold problem, it leaves all the critical answers in the lap of one person and employees are at a loss, or afraid to make a simple decision in the absence of their superior.
Without Empowerment Employees Will Do Less
Some employees enjoy being able to say, "call back on Monday", or "I can't make that decision, you need to speak with the manager".
They shy away from making decisions they aren't regularly called to make.
Why be dealing with an unruly, dissatisfied customer, when they could be doing something less stressful with their time?
Only The Manager Is Responsible
It's easy for a manager to let this happen.
Studies have found that managers can be more effective if they allow their employees to act on any decisions, as if they are the managers in charge at that moment.
Most decisions that are to be made, when the customer is in your face, demand immediate resolution.
Customers Want Employee Empowerment
Customers like to have their problems fixed by the first person they approach. Having an employee call for the manager only causes irritation and frustration.
Or worse, it's a way of passing the blame for the issue in question onto a manager, both by the employee and then the customer.
It's a no-win situation for a manager that wants to portray that they are in control.
A Manager's Strength Is His Team
The truth is, a manager is only as good as the power they give their employees.
For example, if you let your employees know that you expect them to make a reasonable decision in your absence, let them know that they are the manager in control when you are gone.
You will stand behind the logical decisions they make, and then let them know what you might have done different, you are teaching them to become a manager.
Any manager with that sort of team ethic will benefit hugely from the freedom that comes as a result.
Empowerment Is Good For All
Of course, when a manager has been used to keeping every tricky decision to themselves, it's a bit of a fear to let things go - and it can be one of the best things they can learn to do.
They get a sense of ownership, power, and self-taught initiative that they can never get from somebody dictating to them.
It's a truly exciting step to take when a manager decides to take a route to fully empower their people.
Any Manager Will Value Empowerment Skills
Any manager who develops the way they empower their people will be pleasantly fascinated at how they see individuals develop as part of the team output.
They begin to reach a level of management development that all managers should desire-a staff that can exist without them. - 15266
Empowerment means a degree of freedom for a manager and, perhaps even more important, fulfilled and developed employees...
Empowerment - The Holy Grail Of Management
Many managers have worked their way up in an organization and feel a close relationship with being in the thick of the work.
This is an insecurity issue - they feel their job is threatened if they are not the one making the call.
It's a two-fold problem, it leaves all the critical answers in the lap of one person and employees are at a loss, or afraid to make a simple decision in the absence of their superior.
Without Empowerment Employees Will Do Less
Some employees enjoy being able to say, "call back on Monday", or "I can't make that decision, you need to speak with the manager".
They shy away from making decisions they aren't regularly called to make.
Why be dealing with an unruly, dissatisfied customer, when they could be doing something less stressful with their time?
Only The Manager Is Responsible
It's easy for a manager to let this happen.
Studies have found that managers can be more effective if they allow their employees to act on any decisions, as if they are the managers in charge at that moment.
Most decisions that are to be made, when the customer is in your face, demand immediate resolution.
Customers Want Employee Empowerment
Customers like to have their problems fixed by the first person they approach. Having an employee call for the manager only causes irritation and frustration.
Or worse, it's a way of passing the blame for the issue in question onto a manager, both by the employee and then the customer.
It's a no-win situation for a manager that wants to portray that they are in control.
A Manager's Strength Is His Team
The truth is, a manager is only as good as the power they give their employees.
For example, if you let your employees know that you expect them to make a reasonable decision in your absence, let them know that they are the manager in control when you are gone.
You will stand behind the logical decisions they make, and then let them know what you might have done different, you are teaching them to become a manager.
Any manager with that sort of team ethic will benefit hugely from the freedom that comes as a result.
Empowerment Is Good For All
Of course, when a manager has been used to keeping every tricky decision to themselves, it's a bit of a fear to let things go - and it can be one of the best things they can learn to do.
They get a sense of ownership, power, and self-taught initiative that they can never get from somebody dictating to them.
It's a truly exciting step to take when a manager decides to take a route to fully empower their people.
Any Manager Will Value Empowerment Skills
Any manager who develops the way they empower their people will be pleasantly fascinated at how they see individuals develop as part of the team output.
They begin to reach a level of management development that all managers should desire-a staff that can exist without them. - 15266
About the Author:
(c) 2008 Martin P Haworth, a business coach and 25 year time served manager, has written Super Successful Manager!, a very simple, week-by-week development program for managers of EVERY skill level. You can get a sample lesson for free at http://www.SuperSuccessfulManager.com.
