The world needs better leaders, don’t you agree? We don’t have to look very far to see some very poor leaders in very visible positions. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
What is your strongest memory about a situation where you felt empowered? How did it impact you? How was your performance enhanced?
When a strong leader empowers others, he or she unleashes higher performance. I know in my past, when I was in empowered situations I felt a high degree of ownership. Empowered people become highly motivated and committed to success.
Have you ever been in a situation where you were empowered, but upon reflection you discovered that you or your team were not as effective as possible?
Sometimes when we are empowered, we jump directly into action. We focus on success. However, we can increase the effectiveness of being empowered by considering these two simple points.
1. Get input and advice from others. Just because you were empowered to lead, does not mean all the solutions should come from you. Assess all the stakeholders and gather input continuously, and adjust your team’s actions accordingly. This will keep your measure of success and the organization’s measure of success aligned.
2. Empower others. Again, just because you were empowered to lead a task, does not mean all the power should reside solely with you. Empowering others on your team will amplify their performance. Let the power flow through you to the team to increase their engagement. Develop a strategy that allows your team members to grow and develop.
Those two ideas are simple and straightforward, but they are often overlooked by leaders that are focused only on meeting their goal. Include these two activities into your actions when you are empowered and you will increase your performance, and your team’s performance.