THE EMPOWERMENT GAME PLAN
Start with—
Share Accurate Information with Everyone
- Share performance information about the company; help people understand the business.
- Build trust through sharing.
- Set up self-monitoring possibilities.
- View mistakes as learning opportunities.
- Break down hierarchical thinking; help people behave as owners.
| Then | And |
| Create Autonomy through Boundaries | Replace Hierarchical Thinking with Self-Managed Teams |
| • Clarify the big and little pictures. | • Provide direction and skills training for empowered teams. |
| • Clarify goals and roles. | • Provide support and encouragement for change. |
| • Define values and rules that underlie actions. | • Use diversity as a team asset. |
| • Create rules and procedures that support empowerment. | • Gradually give control to the teams. |
| • Provide needed training. | • Recognize there will be some rough times. |
| • Hold people accountable for results. |
Over the next few months, Michael and his company traveled along their own unique journey toward the Land of Empowerment. At first, he made periodic calls to Sandy Fitzwilliam for advice and feedback. Over time, however, as his confidence grew, he and his associates became engaged in their own process of developing an empowered organization. Despite setbacks and some times when they all wanted to just give up, they persisted. By Michael’s knowing and sharing with everyone that such hard times and reactions were to be expected, they were able to stick to the task and continue to use the three keys to move through all the stages of change and associated difficulties. Eventually they achieved their goal of creating an empowered organization where everyone could use and develop talents that both engaged them and achieved astonishing results for the organization.
Just as Sandy had acted as a guide for Michael, he found himself counseling other executives who were moving through their own journeys. Again and again he heard himself say,
“Empowerment isn’t magic. It consists of a few simple steps and a lot of persistence.”