Empowering Employees: The Power of Empowerment!

The success of a business is a journey, not a destination. It is a road that entails unconventional thinking and extraordinary measures. Several entrepreneurs opt for a startup each year, but only a small number of them manage to thrive. Most of us might anticipate the essential ingredients of a successful business. Though, the key lies in identifying the actions and proceedings required to implement that course.

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader."

Along with starting with your why, Simon Sinek, a motivational speaker, has emphasized on being a great leader and empowering your employees.  

What is empowerment?

We all have heard about empowering employees and making them feel comfortable. But what does it really mean? Leadership is not about dragging your team and forcing them along to pursue your goals. The
foremost thing you need to grasp is that their success is your success. Choose to sacrifice for their safety, protection, and satisfaction.

To empower your employees, you must be aware of the practices involved in achieving it. For that, you might be interested in research topics in human resource management for preparing yourself as you embark on this journey.

●   Make your team feel valued:

While setting aside your ego, embrace their opinions. To be a good leader, one must be a good listener. Hence, try to ponder over their perspective and consider their suggestions.

Even if you disagree, be polite in turning it down.

Moreover, you can only value them if you cherish their accomplishments and praise their efforts. Though you might not be able to give them more money, give them your time.

●   Give them autonomy:

Whether they are dealing with a client or working on a task, allow them to adopt a specific procedure. They might handle a client in a different way than yours, or opt a different strategy for concluding a task. Though their means might be different, they recognize that they are capable of producing the desired results in their own way.

Relinquish control and refrain from micromanaging. Your employees must be entitled to some extent. Somehow, involve them in the decision making process. Whether it's about opting for a training program for them or transferring them to the next project, let them make achoice. 

Along with this, encourage them to provide suggestions regarding the improvement in proceedings of the organization. They must play a vital role in setting up the right culture.

●   Setting the right environment:

A leader is the one for whom their team is willing to sacrifice. But what pushes the employees to give their blood, sweat, and tears for their cooperation? Simon Sinek, in his Ted Talk, shares this idea of creating an exemplary environment, an environment that inculcates a feeling of trust among the employees.

Members of your cooperation must feel safe among each other. Moreover, they must never hesitate to reach out to their leader. Lead from the front by setting a high level of camaraderie among your team, making them own your vision.

Impacts of empowerment

"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in work."  

Empowering your team exhibits certain implications on their performance as well as your business.

● Motivation leads to Employee's productivity:

When your team has a say in certain matters regarding your cooperation, they feel like they own it. This makes them driven by your purpose, and their vision gets aligned by yours. Hence inculcating them with a sense of motivation. A purpose-driven employee tends to work harder and give his 100 percent on a task. This has a positive impact on a business's productivity.  

Additionally, when a leader starts acknowledging the accomplishments and work of his team members, it turns out to be a sigh of bliss for them. A compliment or two encourages them to work with greater motivation next time.  

● Independence makes them excel:

Granting authority and freedom to an employee concerning a task enhances their decision-making skills. Furthermore, when you have not defined a strict mean to an end, it promotes creativity and encourages your team to opt for out of the box solutions.

Whether it's a training program or a project that may demand a distinct skill set, whenever there is an opportunity for growth, support your team. Sit with them and discuss the career path they are interested in or the skills they are willing to polish. 

Moreover, offer them choices. Think of the possibilities that may benefit them excelling in their work and organize a counselling session that involves brainstorming for improvement. By giving them a voice, they will not only embrace the changes but also work hard to execute the required plan of action.

● The safe environment promotes a work culture

"A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other" - Simon Sinek.

If your team feels safe in their workplace, it shows that they trust you as a leader. A friendly culture fosters performance as well as aids tolerance during hard times.

When you have established a balanced role as a leader, neither your team would hesitate to contact you while facing any issue, nor would they ignore your instructions. A deep-rooted work culture makes your crew walk the extra mile and make your business flourish.

Moreover, an easy-going environment alters employees' behaviour with your clients. Hence, strengthening customer relationships and increasing chances of customer satisfaction.

● Reduction in employee turnover:

If you have managed to implement all the essential steps for empowering your employees and building trust among your team, your business will experience some astonishing effects.

Not only your company's reputation in the market will boost, but your employee turnover will also lessen. 

As discussed above, when a team member considers itself to be part of a family, putting effort towards the same goal, it encourages them to remain a part of that expedition.

We have to recognize that each of these impacts and positive outcomes is only possible in case of a caring, trustworthy, and supportive leader.