Empower the Team
Jul 29, 2024
A RISKY MOVE
“They don’t care what you know until they know you care.” - Theodore Roosevelt
I will never forget a staff meeting that changed the way I work. As we prepped for a pre-state level meeting, I surveyed my leadership team to focus on their strengths. Once specific strengths were established we began our tedious work to collaboratively create a stellar, active presentation.
This group of leaders became experts on their topic and owned the material. I had decided it was my job to support them by providing resources, adding a sparkle effect to their material and champion them through the process. This was, hands down, the best school year kickoff I ever hosted, which led to the best school year.
The part I will never forget is the looks and comments I received when I told these leaders they would be leading specific sessions. There had been an unsaid thought that the top leader, principal in this case, needed to deliver important information.
A dear friend of mine was on this team. She pulled me aside after the meeting and said, “Have you lost your mind? What if they can’t present this material?”
My response was,” What if they can present it better than I could?”
I recognized that was a bold response. At that point I decided I had to make this work. With many hours of support, every team member stepped up and became confident leaders.
Empowerment of the team quickly spread throughout the campus! My role shifted to standing behind these leaders and coaching them through effective communication strategies so others would see them as the leader.
Now was this an easy process? NO!
Was it hard to let go? YES!
Is it hard to build leaders? YES!
Is it hard to lead behind the scenes? YES!
Is empowering others worth the time and effort? ABSOLUTELY!
Our organization was able to accomplish so much more than had we stuck to the status quo. Mike Mattos says it best, “Every person here has an obligation to lead.”
Empowering means to give authority or power to do something while making someone stronger and more confident.
EMPOWERING NEW LEADERS
So how do we do that in the workforce?
Gallup Poll tells us that action planning helps you respond to employee feedback with more than just talk. A few questions you must ask are:
Who can lead action plans in your place of employment?
What steps need to be followed?
Asking leaders to step in and lead problem solving sessions is EMPOWERING! Leaders must teach the ‘how to’ of action planning. Once that is common knowledge, let them lead. The critical steps to action planning that are essential to work through are as follows:
- Identity the problem
- Determine cause for the identified problem
- Brainstorm Solutions
- Select 1-2 solutions to put to action
- Evaluate plan
Once they know how to navigate the action planning steps, have them lead an action plan meeting with a small group of safe leaders. Give them transparent feedback.
Once they know the expectations, they will be able to lead the process with any group.
Gallup data also states that only 33% of employees in the US are engaged. We must increase our communication in an effort to build engagement and empowerment. Communication must be precise, transparent and regular.
As leaders are being built through empowerment, mentorship must be available to them. Ways to support this are:
- Present data and assist with understanding of data
- Provide real feedback
- Presentation Creation
- Provide regular feedback cycles
Leadership calendars will start to look different. One-on-ones will fill the time slots. Time investment is critical to empowering the team.
Empowerment is like a candle flame. Once it is lit on campus, or in your organization, it doesn’t burn out. Once leaders are empowered to lead, they will want to take the next layer of leaders and mentor them to begin leading.
It is contagious! Empowerment makes top leaders stop in their tracks and think differently about their tasks and time.
Insanity is a process of doing the same thing over and over, and getting the same results over and over. If you are ready for a change, empower a team!
Let them know you believe in them and what they do. It will be worth it!
What opportunities for growth are there in your workplace? Who is passionate about that area? Approach that leader and empower them.
By Dawn Scilex, M.Ed. - Program Director, Trinity College of Florida
Dawn has over 25 years of teaching and leadership development experience. She is married to Rich and has two children.
