Q & A #DareToBe Tweet Chat: Empowerment (Tuesday, May 5, 2015)

At 8PM Eastern, every Tuesday, the #DareToBe tweetchat takes place and hosted by Andrea Sanchez (@asanchez16), an Editor, Writer & Communications Executive and according to her Twitter profile, from Houston, Texas.

Every week is a different topic. On the evening of May 5, 2015, the topic was EMPOWERMENT. I could not capture all the twitter based answers to the 11 questions asked by @ASanchez16. However, I present the questions and  my answers (with a bit of amplification). Please enjoy and if you can, please joins us. Look for the #DareToBe hashtag every Tuesday evening.

EMPOWERMENT

What is empowerment?

Empowerment is the ability to give power or authority to someone else, hopefully for good or the good of others. Take caution when empowering others to ensure it is for the right reasons (when they are ready) and not for the sake of just empowering others. 

Empowered individuals are most likely to ______________.

Empowered individuals are most likely to make good things happen, because they don't want to let down the one giving power.When empowered, individuals are eager to make good on the power given to them. This is typical of first timers.

What is the difference between empowerment and delegation?

Empowerment means do it but do it your way. Delegation means just do it. Empowerment calls on the individual to work a problem or issue to its inevitable conclusion or solution. Delegation is handed out like a Las Vegas dealer at Black Jack table, tossing the cards to whomever happens to be sitting around. There is no certainty that the job will be done by the individual delegated the task.

Example of when you felt or witnessed empowered behavior?

When my staff goes out of their way to go the extra mile to help a customer. At first it was an expectation now it's the standard (a great standard). When the employees believe that what they are empowered to do matters they will go out of their way to do it, do it right.

What comes to mind when you think of an empowered employee?

An empowered employee is one that knows that all levels up and across the organization has his/her back.

Knowing that, the empowered employee can then thrive and excel.

“It’s not empowerment unless you trust people.” Agree/disagree? Explain.

Disagree. Someone has to trust first. Be the leader that does trust first by empowering his employees. Then it is up to the individual employee to make it happen or not. This is a great way to ensure that loyalties are fostered, especially among the new hires.

What are some barriers to empowerment in the workplace?

A barrier to the empowerment in the workplace is lack of peer support. This is especially so when the workplace culture does not drive employee empowerment. Leadership must make successful employee empowerment a top priority is mandatory throughout the organization.

In what situations is empowerment perhaps not an option?

Beginnings of crisis response is one situation that empowerment is not an option. As the situation remains fluid the "fog of war" must be waited out until the time is right. Once the picture is clear, then empowering employees must resume in order to assure a successful outcome once a crisis situation is resolved.

How can leaders feel more at ease with empowering their employees?

Be intentional when starting, empower one at a time. Then increase empowering as leaders get comfortable.Taking it at a slow pace ensures that individuals are ready to be empowered.

How does empowerment benefit leaders?

Empowerment benefits leaders by helping create future leaders. Making empowered leaders now means more empowered leaders later. Then as the cycle repeats a Legacy is born.

Tomorrow, I will empower others by ____________________.

Tomorrow, I will empower others by ensuring they know they have the tools to make a difference in what they do.

Thank you,
David Guerra

I invite you to follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra • visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

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