Ten Reasons Empowerment Is More Important than Leadership.
Empowerment and leadership are both crucial concepts in the context of organizational success and personal development. I have tussled with this concept for some time, and now I feel comfortable sharing why I believe empowerment is a precursor to leadership.
If people feel they are being talked down to, dictated to, or compelled to act in a certain way, they are less likely to respect the leadership involved. While the negative expectations may not be evident in everyday interactions, they will show up when times get tough, as they will at some point.
Suppose employees genuinely feel part of the company, albeit with a sense of ownership through being listened to, respected, and participating in the purpose and vision of the leadership. In that case, there will be sustainable growth. Being transparent in promotions, rewards, and business practices, leaders and employees become partners in development and innovation. This starts with empowering them so they can buy into the company’s overall mission.
Below are there are compelling reasons why empowerment can be considered more critical than traditional leadership:
Fosters’ Independence: Empowerment encourages individuals to think and act independently, leading to a more dynamic and adaptable workforce. This independence allows employees to grow and develop at the speed they are comfortable with, enabling them to choose where their career is headed. The key to success here is ensuring everyone stays focused on the vision and purpose. It will also require employees to understand that this independence has respect for everyone else in the company at its core.
Boosts Confidence: When people feel empowered, their self-confidence and self-efficacy increase, leading to better performance and job satisfaction. A common but often overlooked premise of sustainable business is that if your employees are happy, generally, your customers are happy; hence, it is a win-win scenario.
Promotes Innovation: Empowered employees are likelier to take risks and develop creative solutions, driving organizational innovation. When employees are allowed to learn from their mistakes rather than be blamed for screwing up, the dynamic of the organization begins to breathe and become more organic.
Increases Engagement: Since 2000, we have discussed how employees who feel empowered are more engaged and invested in their work, which improves productivity and reduces turnover. However, in striving to develop a cookie-cutter formula for this engagement, we have failed miserably to make a significant difference. If you are serious about empowerment, this can change. However, it does require a change in attitudes on both sides of the equation. It also requires nurturing rather than management.
Builds Leadership Skills: Empowerment helps individuals develop their own dignity, self-respect, and self-confidence, which leads to improved leadership skills, creating a pipeline of future organizational leaders. Having a leadership pipeline does the company no good unless there are creative ways to expose them to positions where they can lead and use their skills. This now requires visionary leadership.
Enhances Decision-Making: The primary tenant of empowered employees is that they are closer to the action and can make quicker, more informed decisions without always needing top-down directives. However, when leadership tries to micromanage this, empowerment is a label with no freedom, responsibility, or authority. Hence, the attempt will perish.
Improves Problem-Solving: Empowerment allows individuals to address challenges immediately and effectively, often preventing minor issues from escalating. This comes from instilling in everyone their responsibility for making the customer happy while protecting the reputation and growth of the company. Empowerment is an investment in your company’s future and a significant step in humanizing the company.
Strengthens Team Dynamics: When team members feel empowered, they will be more likely to collaborate effectively and support each other’s growth and success. Encouraging teams to collaborate, settle differences, and find some consensus level can only occur if the employees are empowered to be themselves and govern themselves as a critical part of the team.
Encourages Responsibility: Empowered individuals will be willing to take more responsibility for their work, leading to higher quality outcomes and a sense of ownership. This step is critical because it must allow them a voice in the company’s growth, direction, and innovation.
Adapts to Change: At the core of empowerment is change. Hence, a rapidly changing business environment allows employees to adapt quickly and effectively, ensuring organizational resilience. Every part of the company must be willing to challenge the status quo when necessary. If they are not, the company will become stale and boring, leading to decreasing sales, profitability, and high turnover as people bail ship in search of a more open organization.
In Summary:
Empowerment thus serves as a foundational element in building a robust, innovative, and adaptable organizational culture, often surpassing the benefits of traditional, hierarchical leadership.
We have so many relationship problems with customers and employees because we treat the business as an entity and the people as assets of that entity, dehumanizing the rank and file. On the other hand, empowering employees to become ambassadors of the company, with a vested interest in their growth and the company, will make a huge difference.
