How often do you feel let down by your team? Are you staying back late at night fixing up their stuff-ups?

John C Maxwell states; ‘The people’s capacity to achieve is determined by their leader’s ability to empower.’

There are three pronounced signs of disempowerment:

Resentment - Do not see any (personal) benefits of your vision and resents being conformed to it. They will do just enough of what is expected, giving the appearance of being committed because they do not want to lose their job.

Refusal - Do not see the benefit of the vision and will not do what is expected.

Responsiveness - Being neither for nor against the vision. They are the clock watchers' - “Is it home time yet?”

Have you seen any of these signs within your team? They may even use language and phrases like:

• Request permission to …
• I would like to …
• What should I do about …
• Do you think we should …
• Could we …

Again, John C Maxwell states; ‘The people’s capacity to achieve is determined by their leader’s ability to empower.’

To become an empowering leader, you need to infuse your relationships with trust. If you do not trust your followers you will spend inordinate amounts of time and energy in efforts to control them.

Empowering leaders are committed to delegating authority and developing a relational approach to leading. The leader becomes the coach. This approach makes their people feel strong, capable and willing to give their all.

How do you know you have empowered, engaged followers? They will start using some of the following language:

• I intend to …
• I plan on …
• I will …
• We will …

If you, as an empowering leader, make people feel strong and capable then they will exceed all expectations. One can only dare to dream of what this may look like for your team.

But the beginning of any great undertaking is always untidy and fraught with danger and potential failure. For example, a farmer creates the environment for growth by first tearing up the earth. So too, we first must face off all the fears of losing power and potential failures before creating the environment for empowerment.

At Joseph Consulting we are passionate about empowering leaders at all levels within your organisation. Please call Joseph Consulting if you would like to discuss how to refresh your ability to empower those around you.

Rob Boynton
Leadership & Business Consultant
Joseph Consulting