5 Strategic Ways To Effectively Empower Your Team

As a leader, you want to help your team members become leaders themselves. That should be one of your top goals - to reproduce yourself and to leave a legacy. A good leader is outward focused - looking to see how they can build and develop others. In order to do this you have to empower your team members so that they can exercise those leadership opportunities.

Here are 5 ways you can empower those around you.

Tell them what you want (in terms of outcomes), not how to get there (avoid micro-managing the process). You will empower people by giving them clear and concise outcomes but not instructing them in every detail. They must bring their own unique gifts, creativity, energy and experience to the project’s success.

Give them the information and resources they need. Don’t withhold the resources needed for them to do the job well. That may entail giving them the necessary people, money, facilities, or information.

Let them know that failures are not fatal. Avoid creating a culture of fear or a culture that is risk adverse. Let them know that the issue isn’t about failure, it is about failing well. Which means that they learn and grow from their failure.

Over time move them from delegation to ownership. - You want to be intentionally moving your team members to a point where they have ownership over a responsibility or project rather than merely receiving it as a delegated assignment. When a person has ownership it means that they start being intentional. They begin anticipating and planning toward the future and their next steps. When they own it, they are captured by the vision and mission of the project. Giving them ownership is essential.

Praise them publicly - Give them credit and do it publicly. Praise them in front of others, and be specific about why you appreciate them and the job they’ve done.

Photo by Zac Durant on Unsplash