The Empowerment Target

How many leaders (think bosses, managers, politicians, spiritual leaders, etc…) have you had in your life over the last 20 years? Of those, how many of them proactively created an empowering environment? How many helped you grow? How many helped you become a better version of yourself? How many helped you further your career? How many helped you be happier, more productive, or more passionate? How many helped you become a better leader yourself?

I’ve had 2 out of 7 that I would describe as empowering. And, to be honest, I’m pretty sure I’ve been an empowering leader at some points in my career and not so much at other points.

Positional leaders have a responsibility to use their power well. That’s easier said than done. There’s no one strategy. It’s not enough to just be encouraging. It’s not something you can do one day and take a break the next. In fact, it’s not just about having a positive relationship with one employee or follower.

Using positional power well is about creating an environment where people flourish. The 5 sections of the ®Empowerment Target are specifically designed to help leaders know where to put their power to work. The center of the target represent the mission of the organization or team. When the culture is right that mission takes center stage and every member of the organization can focus without distraction on bringing their best selves to the accomplishment of that mission.

1. Physical and Psychological Safety
   Power should not be used to intimidate, coerce, scare, threaten, or badger. Harassment, “gotcha” reviews, berating, public humiliation, and other types of workplace danger increase anxiety and make the mission difficult to even see much less pursue.
   
   
   
2. Implicit Trust
   When a leader makes sacrifices for the team, is honest, respects the team, advocates for their needs, listens to them, takes time to understand them, and consistently looks out for them trust is created. Followers are able to focus on the mission knowing that their leader has their back. By insisting that every team member follow that example and treat their fellow teammates the way the leader treats them a culture of implicit trust boosts morale, enables focus, and increases efficiency.
   
   
   
3. Mutual Accountability
   Everyone, including the leader, is accountable to the mission and values of the organization. Accountability is not a one way street running from top to bottom. The traffic flows both ways. Leaders who use power well encourage healthy, appropriate feedback. Everyone no matter their position in the hierarchy has the right and even responsibility to advocate respectfully on behalf of the mission.
   
   
   
4. Agency
   I’m a big believer in giving people as much autonomy as possible without jeopardizing the well-being of the mission, the team, and the individual themselves. There is something powerfully motivating about waking up to go to a job where you feel a sense of self-determination.
   
   
   
5. Incentive
   Competitive compensation, self and career development, greater responsibility, recognition-these are all ways to incentivize engagement in the mission. These incentives need to be carefully aligned with the behaviors and activities that are required of each follower. Misaligned incentives, unattainable incentives, and insufficient or no incentives are all ways to squander potential.