27: Empowerment series - Empowering others is a process, where are you on this journey?
Nov 4, 2019
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Exploring the gradual path to empower others, avoiding sudden shifts. Delving into leadership styles and decision-making levels. Highlighting the importance of adapting empowerment levels based on individual expertise. Encouraging a step-by-step process towards empowering others.
Empowerment is a gradual process tailored to each individual, balancing control and autonomy effectively.
Incremental empowerment fosters growth by gradually shifting decision-making responsibilities based on competence and support.
Deep dives
Empowering Others through a Step-by-Step Process
Empowerment is a gradual process that varies for each individual and situation, emphasizing the importance of not abruptly transitioning from authoritarian to completely delegated decision-making. The goal is to enable individuals to operate at their highest potential, slightly stretching their capabilities while providing support. By envisioning two axes representing control and the person's skill and insight, empowerment can be categorized into five levels, ranging from 'I decide' to 'you decide,' with the aim of increasing autonomy as experience and expertise grow.
Practical Application in Professional and Personal Settings
The concept of empowering others incrementally is applicable not only in organizational leadership but also in personal scenarios such as parenting. Through a real-life example of mentoring a new team member in client meetings, the speaker highlights the effectiveness of gradually shifting decision-making responsibility based on the individual's growth and competence, fostering a sense of partnership and mutual contribution.
Self-Reflection and Continuous Improvement
Encouraging self-assessment, the podcast suggests evaluating one's tendencies towards control and delegation in different circumstances to identify areas for improvement. By recognizing one's comfort zones and challenges in empowering others, individuals can adjust their approach to match the needs of those they lead, maintaining a balance between support, autonomy, and involvement. The ultimate goal remains to facilitate growth, build courage, and provide appropriate guidance without stifling independence or progress.
There is an incremental path to empowering others, which, when follows leaves both parties feeling confident and business risks taken care of. Empowerment is not about jumping from full control to abdication. In instead by assessing each situation and each person individually, leader can use empowerment to deliver the best results.