Increase productivity by empowering those around you
In this highly technologically advanced world, today’s leaders continue to be asked to produce more in less time and with fewer resources. How can leaders rise to the challenge? The key is for leaders to empower their followers. When leaders empower those around them, they are unleashing the power of creativity…and yes, productivity. How is this possible? The essence of empowering others is trusting them to get the job done without you having to look over your shoulder. They must know that they can
come to you when and if they need help. When leaders empower others, they create a win-win situation. The leader no longer has to run the organization alone, being free to perform more important tasks. Followers, when empowered, become more motivated. The result: they produce more quality work and complete more important tasks, too. To learn how to empower others, here are four steps:
1. Be objective: Don’t let personal biases get in the way of clearly assessing followers’ strengths and weaknesses. By doing this, you can determine how to maximize each person’s potential by finding their best fit in the organization. It’s a win-win situation; the individual, as well as the organization, benefits immensely.
2. Delegate effectively: Many leaders struggle with delegation. Some refuse to delegate and others delegate ineffectively by delegating only mundane tasks and leaving the “important” tasks to themselves (Avolio & Bass, 1994). Leaders who delegate ineffectively send a clear message to their followers; “I don’t trust you, I don’t think you’re capable.” If you want to demoralize your followers and lower the quality of work and productivity, the above message will surely work. To delegate effectively, you must trust the members of your organization and believe that the task will get done. It may not necessarily be done your way, but the important thing is that the work gets done, not how it gets done. You will be pleasantly surprised by the result. The key here is to delegate tasks that take people out of their comfort zone while still delegating tasks within their capabilities. This will set them up for success! It is important for leaders to know their people and objectively assess their capabilities. As George Patton said, “Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”
3. Resources and tools: One of the most important jobs of a leader is to provide the resources and tools for their followers to be successful. It is not enough to objectively assess his abilities and delegate effectively. You, as the leader, must give them the resources, tools, and authority to be successful.
4. Celebrate your success. People like to be recognized for their efforts. Be sure to let your supporters know that you appreciate their efforts and how their contributions have positively affected the organization. Let them know that you believe in them and that you can’t wait to see what other amazing things they will accomplish.
Empowering people is a win-win situation for the leader, the follower, and the organization as a whole. When people feel empowered, they expect to come to work and give it their all. They feel energized, have greater ownership and are motivated. When people feel good about coming to work, they tend to want to stay with the organization. Leaders contribute to the retention of quality workers and can help the organization save millions of dollars by minimizing employee turnover. So as a leader, be objective, delegate effectively, give your employees the resources and tools they need, and celebrate their success. Increased productivity will be the inevitable result of your efforts!
Source
Avolio, B.M. (1994). Improving Organizational Effectiveness through transformational leadership. California: Salvia Publications.
