"...when employees feel empowered at work, it is associated with stronger job performance, job satisfaction, and commitment to the organization. (Seibert, Wang, & Courtright, 2011)
Empowerment can mean a lot of things. In a collaborative team setting, it means feeling that your ideas, thoughts, and concerns are respected and valued. It means having the space to try new things, ask questions, and the freedom to fail more.
When you feel empowered, you not only feel more competent and motivated to engage in your best work, you also feel that you play an important role in achieving an overarching goal.
Whether you’re running a Fortune 500 company or a local non-profit, the successful outcome of any initiative, project, or mission is largely based on the collective empowerment of your team.
But what exactly does this look like?
Empowering your team isn't necessarily a direct task but an outcome that comes to fruition in the right environment. Often, this is a safe space that not only allows, but encourages others to express themselves freely, to share ideas, to critique, and most importantly, to have autonomy over their work. When the latter is achieved, people feel respected, valued, and trusted.
When others feel respected, valued, and trusted, people not only produce higher quality work but also often develop a desire to improve, be more creative, and take more initiative. This not only can lead to higher levels of productivity but also frees up your time to focus on other important tasks instead of engaging in micro managerial practices that, let’s face it, nobody likes.
One of the primary ways empowerment materializes is through practicing empathy. This might look like active listening, encouraging open communication and feedback, or even something as simple as being mindful of how others around you are feeling. For example, you might notice a team member who is unusually quiet and decide to check in with them to see if they need anything. Often, we overlook just how powerful these small things are and the high impact they have on others.
Everyone wants to feel acknowledged. If you lead with empathy, you will lead in creating a more empowering workplace that others will follow.
Trust is another essential foundation of empowerment. And a major way trust is fostered is by allowing others to take autonomy over their work.
In the early 2000s, Google introduced an innovative new policy rooted in the idea of giving employees more creative freedom in the workplace. They called it the "20% rule," a policy that allowed employees to spend 20% of their time exploring new ideas, developing skills, or pursuing tasks that could benefit Google.
Despite initial concerns, the 20% policy fostered a culture of innovation and cross-departmental collaboration beyond regular duties, leading to major advancements, such as Gmail.
The idea here is that being an effective leader isn't just about knowing how to manage a team or a product launch. It’s about creating an environment where others feel empowered, supported, and inspired to grow.
Don't be the 'boss'. Be the inspiring leader that touches people's lives. Because how you choose to lead will ultimately carve out your legacy.
Thank you for taking the time to read my article.
If you enjoyed this post, have feedback, or would like to suggest a topic for future exploration, please email me at jclarkelister@protonmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you!