Team building is challenging, but rewarding if the foundation is set from the beginning. You may say, “Team, What Team?!?!” Maybe you don’t have a team because you haven’t mastered the art of Delegation and Empowerment. In my experience of being on teams and leading teams, I believe that delegation is a natural stepping stone to empowerment. I believe there are times to delegate and times to empower. Let’s look at the two:
DELEGATION
Delegate- entrust (a task or responsibility) to another person, typically one who is less senior than oneself.
You need to ask yourself 2 questions before you delegate.
1) What task will I delegate? When you look at the task- decide if it is even delegation worthy. You may just decide to eliminate the task completely. Increased productivity by the way of elimination. If the task is important enough to be done, but your plate is overloaded– delegate.
2) Who will I delegate to? Hopefully, someone competent. Set your team member up for success by clearly defining the desired end result. It may seem obvious to you, but communication is your responsibility.
In most cases, people are paid for results. You want more results? Delegate and see your production rise.
EMPOWERMENT
Empower- Give someone the authority or power to do something.
The difference between the two words are found in these simple definitions. Delegating involves tasks. Empowering involves Authority or Power.
I believe a leader who empowers will elevate the team, themselves and ultimately the organization. Here is a list of positives gained from empowering people:
1. Energizes team
2. Builds loyalty
3. Demonstrates Leadership instead of Management
4. Increases creativity
Why is it that leaders have a hard time empowering others with so many positives to gain? It is usually having to surrender control that hinders the leader and organization from advancing. It is easier to delegate tasks that are necessary but menial. It takes trust to be able give someone authority and power. You know that if there is failure it lands right back in the lap of the leader. But, that is why you are the leader. People have trust in you to empower the right people to lead your organization. Once you begin to empower your team, the lid will be blown off your organization. Empowering is fun if:
You don’t care who gets the credit
You have a core value of investing in others
You enjoy celebrating the success of the team over your personal success
If you desire to attract and retain good leaders it is imperative you go from delegation to empowerment. Delegation has its place. But to reproduce leaders you must empower. Resist the temptation to 1/2 empower. What do I mean? When you empower a person until it is time to celebrate and then you take center stage. When you empower a person by releasing them and then take back power or authority without communicating clearly why. Talk about demotivation!
It’s wonderful when the people believe in the leader, but it’s even more wonderful when the leader believes in the people.
–John Maxwell
Follow this link to see how Dr. John Maxwell defines the word Empowered.
Remember delegation will increase your teams production, but I believe empowerment is the key to multiplication and exponential growth.
When you empower others–GO ALL IN!