Leadership & You #3/2024
Often the hardest thing in leadership is letting go and allowing others to assume responsibility for a role
I always picture the empowerment process as a bit like teaching someone to drive. Initially you are very direct, controlling, and provide clear and implicit rules for what you want the learner driver to obey and do. Then as their capability and confidence improves, you relax some of the rules, and allow them to make their own decisions (within set boundaries). Empowerment requires a stepped approach that builds:
Commitment – Competence – Confidence – Permissions (3C’s + 1P).
Empowerment and accountability are joined at the hip
According to the Oxford Dictionary there are two definitions of empowerment:
- Authority or power given to someone to do something; and
- The process of becoming stronger and more confident – especially when controlling one’s life and one’s rights.
Both definitions are relevant. The key is to link empowerment with accountability, as this ties to commitment. Being responsible for something means you can delegate it, being accountable for something means you own it!
I perform better when I am being micromanaged said NO ONE EVER!
Empowerment improves staff morale, builds depth of talent and succession plans, inspires, and enhances job satisfaction. It is also the key ingredient to building team chemistry and enhancing the retention of talent. But it requires a Leaders facilitation, not the abrogation of responsibility.
As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others
– Bill Gates
Any empowerment journey needs to be set up for success from the start. A leader must be clear on what it is they are empowering someone to do. The Loose Tight Triangle Model below is a useful framework to apply:
Here a leader can work through the decisions a person has permission to make, the decisions they need to engage others with, and where they need to seek permissions. Over the course of time, a person should be able to make more of their own decisions and have less decisions that need permissions.
Any decision-making tree can be broken into four broad categories:
- Frequent decisions that come up all the time that all people should be expected to make;
- Delegated decisions that the leader is giving responsibility to specific people to make;
- Ad hoc decisions that arise periodically that need to include others before making decisions; and
- Strategic or big decisions that need to be deferred to leaders.
The decision-making tree should be known, obvious, publicly available, and constantly referred to.
When all is said and done – empowerment comes down to Commitment – Confidence – Competence – Permission
Commitment: A person is willing, keen and wants to step up and assume responsibility for something. Without commitment there can be no empowerment. People must have an appetite and want to take on responsibility. Without this, nothing will progress.
Confidence: People perform at their best when they know what to do and are confident in their ability. This takes practice and application. What to do when things are OK, and what to do when things don’t go so well. People need confidence in their ability to navigate all scenarios. Just like learning to drive, being able to navigate all road conditions requires practice and application – not classroom training. Trial and error is key.
Competence: As the old saying goes, crawl – walk – run. You need to progress through each milestone to become competent at something. Practice, application, and receive the gift of feedback. As a person gets more competent at something, the more responsibility they can take on, and the higher the expectation will be of their performance.
Permission: There is always a learnt behaviour from both parties when it comes to empowerment. Those who are being empowered need to stop asking for permissions and start making more decisions and assuming responsibility. Likewise, those who are giving empowerment need to get out of the way and let the person assume control (with checks and balances). This is often the biggest barrier to successful empowerment – If a leader does not stop doing the role – or they maintain control, they will always deflate the person they are trying to empower.
Finally, a checklist for a leader aiming to empower someone
Empowerment is a journey of learning and development, not a demand for someone to step up and be accountable! Use the following as a personal empowerment checklist:
- Demonstrate trust in the people being empowered;
- Communicate a clear vision of what good performance looks like;
- Initially talk and sweat the detail – little things are important early on;
- Encourage people to have a go – attempt what they are being asked to step up to (trial and error);
- Understand mistakes will occur early on – expect and coach this – don’t blow a fuse!
- Initially, check-in regularly to get a sense of how they are going (ask how they are going);
- Run regular periodic debriefs and explore how they think they are going and feeling;
- Remember a check-in for you will be a learning experience for them (key coaching moments are often and regular);
- Encourage them to explore their own creative thinking and problem solving. (Ensure they do not report problems – but act on them – this is how they learn to predict potential problems in advance);
- Show appreciation for their efforts;
- Stop and actively listen to their thoughts, concerns and how they think they are going. This will give you some feedback to provide a key coaching moment. Without them, empowerment will not take place.
Leadership Lesson
People grow through experience. People need the opportunity to try things.
The support of a leader is vital to learn through trial and error in a safe and supportive way.
No one learnt to walk via a classroom lesson. Nor did they learn without falling!
Empowerment requires leadership facilitation!
Facta Non Verba – Deeds Not Words!
