Enabling and Empowering Others

Lesson: Above all else, leadership is a relationship between the leader and the follower. Enabling and increasing peoples' abilities contributes sharply to the nature and strength of this relationship. Think about what it is like to be constantly blocked from doing great work or being able to grow on the job. Do you perform at your best (or even aspire to) when you feel powerless or ill-equipped - or when you feel strong, able and supported.

Most managers do not set out to intentionally disable their people. They are not like the "pointy-haired boss" of Dilbert fame whose purpose is to make others miserable. However, we don't believe most managers purposely set out to enable their people either. When was the last time you spent a few moments deliberately thinking about what you could do to truly strengthen anyone of your people's ability to perform or take on more responsibility?

Remember: Key Concepts of Enabling

Experiential Activity: (45 minutes)

Answer the questions below as honestly as you can. They get your people together and discuss your views and theirs. This will take some deep reflection - so do not attempt this activity if you are unwilling to do it meaningfully.

The following questions either came from or were inspired by the wonderful book, Leadership Jazz, by Max Depree (on the ILA Bookshelf). They are questions that any one of your people has the right to ask of you. How would you respond if they were asked of you?

1. What may I expect of you?
2. How can I achieve my goals with you?
3. Will I reach my potential working with you?
4. Can I entrust my (and my family's) future to you?
5. How have you bothered to prepare yourself to lead me?
6. Do you have the self confidence and trust to let me do my job? To let me learn your job?
7. What do you believe is your most important role as my leader?

Leadership is about having the right conversations and we guarantee that you will have some powerful dialogue with your people about these questions. Your relationship with them will be stronger as a result.

Action Plan: The Enabling/Development Discussion

1. Select one person in your team to work with.
2. List several key things you have done over the past few months to strengthen, better equip or enable them.
3. Ask that individual to make the same list - of the things you have done to enable him/her.
4. Compare your responses. Discuss the differences. Understand the other person's perspectives.
5. Reach agreement on some things you can do to further enable this individual to take action and perform at a higher level. Check in regularly.
6. Repeat the process with the other people that work for or with you.

Let us hear from you about your progress and your questions (use the message board on this website). And don't ever underestimate the power of the gift you give, when you enable others.

Click here for last month's lesson: Inspiring Visions

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