Empowerment

and the Organization

Empower

To invest with legal authority; authorize.

or

Enable To supply with the means, knowledge, or

opportunity to be or do something. To make feasible or possible. To give legal power, capacity, or sanction to.

Power

The ability or capacity to act or perform effectively.

Em or en - – To put into or onto.– To cover or provide with.– To cause to be.– Thoroughly.

Empowerment Objectives

Balance Synergy Leverage

Empowerment Values and Ethics

Self-Direction Self-Development Self-Discipline

The Empowering Leader

Listens Communicates Motivates Educates Coaches Mentors Administrates

Principles of Empowerment

Respect dignity and self-esteem Build Competence and Confidence

Communicate the what, why, and howMotivate with involvement and authority

Ask for help and encourage involvementShare thoughts, feelings, and rationaleStart the transfer of ownership

Educate with timely knowledge and evaluationAdministrate responsibility and accountability

Support progress without removing responsibility

Empowerment and Personality Types

Contractors Partners

Victims Workers

Shared Goals and ValuesHigh

High

C

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a

nd A

ccou

ntab

ility

Low

Low

Empowerment Needs

Safety - to feel protected by the one who empowers Perspective - to share the same point-of-view Energy - to be energized by the one who empowers

Empowerment and Learning State

Unconscious Incompetent Conscious Incompetent Conscious Competent Unconscious Competent

Empowerment of Knowing and Willing

Unknowing and Unwilling Knowing and Unwilling Knowing and Willing Unknowing and Willing

Empowerment and Performance

Performance WithoutSupport

WithSupport

Pain

Reward

Now

Desired

State

Future

Time

Present

State

Empowerment Decisions

EnvironmentHierarchyScopeOutcomeBudgetLevel Of EmpowermentTarget Dates

Hierarchy of Decision-Making for Empowerment

Process and Systems•Operational goals and issues•Communication and Motivation•Education and Administration

Organization•Long-term Goals•Critical Issues•Sensitive Issues

Functions and Tasks•Routine and Operational Performance•Commitment and Continuous Improvement

Empowerment Direction

Approach Alignment Access Area Application

Empowerment Support

Communication Motivation Education Administration

Confidence and Competence Levels C

onfi

denc

e

Empowerer

Empoweree

Competence

+

+

Empowerer Control and Empoweree Confidence and Competence

High

Low Empoweree Confidence and Competence High

LowE

mpo

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er C

ontr

ol

Empowering Authority

Levels of AuthorityAuthority to decide and actAuthority to act but must

Involve and get approval of othersCommunicate decisions to others

Authority to recommend action toOthersEmpowerer

CRITICALITY

CONFIDENCE

COMPETENCE

How to Decide

COMPLEXITY

Empowerment Bottom-line

Business Driven and Needs Focused Management/Teams /Individuals Input/Process/Output Alignment Direct Job Responsibility First Beyond Job Responsibility Encouraged Organizational Learning Accomplished

Facilitation Skills for Empowering

Prevention– The act of anticipating and countering in

advance.

Intervention

– The act of intervening (coming in or between), in order to modify or change an outcome or behavior.

Prevention Basics for Empowering

GoalsExpectations, deliverables, and outcomes

Roles Functions, tasks, objectives, and assignments

ProceduresAction plans, agendas, and administration

AgreementsNorms and ground rules

Intervention Basics for Empowering

Provide Direction and ControlCall up the goals, roles, and proceduresIdentify agreementsUse “parking lot” for non-agenda issues

Promote support and developmentBalance the stakeholder needsFocus on issues not peopleInvolve all peopleUse agreements to address people issues

Reinforcing Empowerment With Feedback

Ask the personHow do you feel about what you have done?What will you do differently?

Tell the person– How your observations support what they said

– What you observed and when

– How well they performed against expectations

– What they need to do the same

– What they need to do differently and how

Involve the person in action planning Set and agree on scheduled follow-up

Work Team Transitions for Empowering

Supervisor Supervisor/Leader

Leader/Supervisor

Leader

Manage Daily Activities H M L ELead Team Meetings H M L EFacilitator L M H EResource Provider H M H HSource of Information H H H HGo Between Shifts/ Depts. H M L LMorale Boosters H H H HListener H H H HMediator H M L EEmployee Selection H S L ECorrective Action H H M LPlanner H H S SGoal Setter H H S SOrganizer H H S SSet Team Norms S S S STrouble Shooter H H M LTrainer H M L LIndividual Perf. Evaluation H M L ETeam Perf. Eval. H H M S

Level of Management/Coordinator Involvement:H= HighM= ModerateL= LowE= ExceptionsS= Shared

Priorities for Empowerment

Situation Organization Environment Individual

Daily Start-up Meeting for the Empowered Team

Purpose Collect and connect the team

Action Information Sharing

Boundaries 5 minutes No problem solving or decision making

Locationat the work station, or, in the work area

Working Team Meeting for the Empowered Team

PurposeGoal Management

ActionReview scorecards and team indicatorsIdentify big problems and opportunitiesDelegate work to individuals and action teams

BoundariesWeekly (no less than bi-weekly)

60 minutes (no less than 45 minutes) Location

An environment conducive to team planning

Facilitate Idea Empowerment

Facilitator stimulates idea generation by topic and example Individually write full sentences on 3x5 Post-It notes Facilitator collects, reads to group, and posts on flip chart No discussion of ideas Piggy-backing and leap-frogging encouraged Continues until idea well is dry Sort and organize Post-Its by subject/category

– Stack “same/similar” ideas Group discussion

Facilitate Decision Empowerment

Give each team member 3-7 self-adhesive dots Team members put dots on their most important items All Post-Its with dots segregated and grouped Group discussion of Post-Its with dots Individuals encouraged to “make a case” for any Post-It

with at least one dot Group agreement on ideas to be evaluated and

implemented

Empowerment and the Organization

Balance SynergyLeverage

Organization &

Shareholders- Profitability- Growth- Reputation

Groups and Teams-Equity-Consistency-Teamwork and Collaboration

Individuals- Trust- Security- Fairness- Recognition- Contribution- Growth- Pay & Benefits

Customers- Price/ Value- Service- New Products- Quality

Meeting and Balancing Stakeholder Needs

Stakeholder needs must be met and be balanced for the organization goal to be achieved, and to succeed

If one stakeholder’s needs dominate over another stakeholders’ needs, the organization will under-perform or fail

Synergy is possible through empowermentEmpowerment is possible through leverage

Consequences of Empowerment Imbalance

Individuals

Lack of flexibility and accommodation of individual needs

Groups and Teams

Inconsistency of group and team treatment

•Individuals feel like a cog in the wheel•Reduced productivity, quality and service•Poor morale

•Groups and teams feel there is favoritism•Reduced productivity, quality and service•Poor morale

Consequences Of Empowerment Imbalance

CustomersSatisfied with price, quality and service

IndividualsSatisfied with

quality of worklife, pay and benefits

Organization and ShareholdersPoor profits or losses and low or negative EVA

•Consequences - Company raises prices, cuts costs, and/or lays off employees - Company will not invest in equipment or new products - Worst Case: Business closed

Consequences of Empowerment Imbalance

Company

Satisfied with profits and EVA

Customers

Satisfied with price, quality and service

Employees

Dissatisfied with quality of worklife and/or pay and benefits

•Consequences - Productivity declines, waste increases and quality deteriorates - Poor morale - High turnover - Worst Case: Business closed

Consequences of Empowerment Imbalance

Company

Satisfied with profits and EVA

Employees

Satisfied with quality of worklife, pay and benefits

Customers

Dissatisfied with price, quality and/orservice.

•Consequences - Customers give business to competitors - Company profits drop - Employees laid off - Worst Case: Business closed

Organizational Needs/ Stakeholder Impact/ Consequences

Need

Company & Shareholders

Customers Employee Groups

Individuals

Empowerment Action Plan

Situation Action Deliverables and Outcomes Responsibility Resources Target Dates

Empowerment

The Beginning