Taking the time to ensure others feel empowered can have incredible benefits for people and your team. Numerous studies have supported this idea. A 2017 study by the Special Report found that an employee who feels like their voice is heard is 4.6 times more likely to be motivated to perform their best work. This transfer of power can be exemplified through avenues such as asking for input in decision making, brainstorming ideas, delegating tasks, or simply recognizing your team members for their hard work. 

Further, a study by Gallup found that when a team focuses on utilizing an individual’s unique strengths, employee engagement increases from 9% to 73%!!  This remarkable statistic reveals how important it is for leaders to foster power in others, enabling them to strengthen their skills and reach their full potential. Gallup’s research further found that when people are encouraged to use their talent in order to reach a goal, their involvement improves from 9% to 15%, which ultimately increases the team’s performance. When leaders empower others, it drives the whole team to a greater level. 

Think of a team you’ve been a part of that worked together to overcome a difficult challenge or task – one that supported one another in the process. How did you feel? Did you experience a sense of pride for your team? Did you end with a higher sense of confidence in yourself? Working in a group to accomplish a task is certainly no easy feat.  The way in which team members support one another not only provides a safe place for other members, but helps further develop skills and ability to solve problems. By choosing to empower those around us, we transfer the potential, rather than simply taking it for ourselves. 

To successfully empower others, we must be intentional with our actions. Telling someone he or she did a good job is not quite enough to make them feel empowered. Here are some tips for empowering team members:

• Delegate tasks – Remember, not everyone does things the way you might want to, and that’s ok! Try to let them figure out the best way for them to complete a task instead of micromanaging. This is about giving others control and letting them accomplish difficult tasks on their own. Delegating tasks brings freedom to managers who would normally take on this task and grows self-confidence in the person who has taken on new responsibilities.

• Ask for input – When it comes to decision making, ask your team members to be a part of this process. When brainstorming, take ideas from team members. Let others know that they are making an impact. 

• Celebrate both successes and failures – While we know to recognize a job well done, we should also celebrate people who took a risk and learned a valuable lesson through their trials and tribulations. Thinking outside the box can end with outstanding results, and the courage to do so should be acknowledged!

*Leadership Lesson*

When looking at these three tips to empower others, we may naturally tend to be better at some than others. Take some time to consider where your strengths lie in empowering others? Where do you have some room for improvement? Now, set some goals for this week! 

• What is one way you will delegate a task to a fellow classmate, co-worker, or team member?
• What is one way you will ask for input from a fellow classmate, co-worker, or team member?
• What is one way you will celebrate successes or failures with a fellow classmate, co-worker, or team member?

*Meet the Author*

Brielle graduated from Chapman Univesity with a B.A. in Strategic and Corporate Communication and a minor in Leadership Studies. She is currently pursuing her M.S. in Health Science and Strategic Communication.

Favorite Quote: “We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” – E. M. Forster

Fun Facts: 1) I love to paint in my free time 2) I would love to have a pet snake 3) I like to go on new hikes on my days off and identify plants along the path!

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