A Bold Request
As we start the year together I would like to challenge you with one large, bold request. This is the type of challenge that will cost you a lot, but benefit you dramatically in your leadership. The request will feel awkward and cause you ego fits and some emotional turmoil, but it is worth it. Here it is:
In 2010, make it your absolute goal to EMPOWER those around you and those you lead rather than OVERPOWER them.
Why am I requesting this?
Because empowerment brings life to everyone, including the leader who empowers. We all know we need more life in our businesses and organizations.
Conversely, overpowering leadership brings death to dreams and productivity and strip mines the talents of people.
Over the past year leaders have been impacted by fear, worry, and doubt. The markets shrank, attitudes changed, and results were harder to find. The natural tendency is to pull back and begin leading out of paranoia and fear. Please don’t. Consider a better way. Empower those you lead.
How do you do it?
Empowering is easy to say, and difficult to do. Here is a simple way to implement if you are leading a team:
- Start with your mindset - can you “give away” power to your team? That is the start.
- Practice giving away power to key decision makers around specific objectives.
- Let small failures be okay in order to win the overall objective.
- Communicate your empowerment.
- Celebrate victories openly.
Our COO, Linda Sasser, is excellent at celebrating successes and showing empowerment. Her style is very natural and fun. Make sure your style comes out in your communication so that people know you are being authentic as well.
What are the benefits?
The benefits of empowerment are easy to quantify:
- Increased Momentum
- Better Culture
- More Leaders
- Stronger Communication
- More Results
The paradox of overpowering leadership is that a controlling leader actually receives what they are most afraid of, lack of control. An empowering leader on the other hand brings peace, clarity, fun and results through giving control away.
Please consider accepting my challenge and request for 2010 and watch the results of your leadership.
Posted on January 12, 2010 in Leader Development
4 Comments
Rusty said...
Another thought with regard to greater productivity and cooperation among team members is to change the overall philosophy of the work culture. Empowerment is a word that still carries a type of “have and have-nots” connotation. The word can be construed along the lines of, as the leader, I have the power but because of my beneficence I will bestow some of “my” power upon you so that you can be empowered.
Rather than follow this top-down, linear approach, perhaps there is a way to get our colleagues with whom we work to understand the power they already have. This is difficult in the work place because corporate culture has always placed the idea of power at the top of the organizational chart. This difficulty is further exacerbated by the confusion over ‘authority’ and ‘power.’ The terms are not synonymous.
One way of breaking the glass ceiling between those with perceived power at the upper end of the org chart and those at the lower end of the org chart who have little or no perceived power is to unify the thinking of everyone within the organization by changing to a “follower” mindset. We are all followers at some level. Even the CEO’s of major corporations follow their ideals. Success and productivity are achieved when the CEO can get those who follow him/her to have congruent ideals. When similar core values and ideals are shared throughout the organization, cooperation and job satisfaction increase which usually results in greater productivity. But the emphasis is on following, not leading and not who has the ‘power.’
Thus, perhaps the most difficult decision a leader can make this year is to consider himself/herself a follower first, embed this same philosophy in those around him/her and, then hold on as fellow followers embrace their responsibilities and use the inherent power they already have to achieve even greater results.
Comment by Rusty - Jan 12, 2010 @ 11:19 AM
Diane said...
Empowerment is one of the best gifts that you will ever give or receive! Great article!
Comment by Diane - Jan 12, 2010 @ 01:49 PM
Gayle said...
I take up your challenge to empower those I lead and its fantastic how it directly relates to increase in momentum.WOW!
Comment by Gayle - Jan 13, 2010 @ 10:26 AM
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