Empowerment

So, what is empowerment and why is it so effective? Empowerment means that leaders release some

of their power and pass it on to team members to make decisions as it relates to their work. It gives

employees more control over their day-to-day works tasks and eliminates the need for them to ask for

permission prior to making key decisions.

Empowerment is the opposite of micro-management, which entails having a manager constantly

looking over your shoulder and providing input. Typically, micro-managers prefer that employees run

everything by them before making any decisions. This can breed distrust and does not help motivate

employees.

Successfully empowering team members requires trust and increased communication. Leaders cannot

successfully empower employees if they do not trust that they have the skills or abilities to make keydecisions. On the other hand, team members must believe that leadership supports them and that they

will not be punished harshly for making a mistake. It will take time to develop this level of trust so

leaders must allow time for employees to make the adjustment.

Osborne and Plastrik (2000) provided the following four keys to increasing employee empowerment:

Clearly communicate how their roles and activities support the organization's goals;

Make all relevant information readily available and easy to access;

Ensure that all employees have the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in makingsubstantive decisions; and

Provide rewards and recognition for a job well done.

Following these steps will not only increase trust, but will increase productivity, which will have a

positive impact on the organization's bottom line. By increasing employee empowerment, leaders can

create work environments that enable employees to �ourish. Finally, empowerment is a powerful and

inexpensive way to improve an organization's potential for success.