Empowerment is based on a set of assumptions that are in contrast to those normally made by managers.

It means providing freedom for people to do successfully what they want to do, rather than getting them to do what managers want them to do.

Managers who empower people remove controls, constraints, and boundaries for them instead of motivating, directing, or stimulating their behaviour.

Rather than being a “push” strategy (traditional managerial style) in which managers induce employees to respond in desirable ways through incentives and influence techniques, empowerment is a “pull” strategy.

The biggest difference between empowerment and traditional managerial styles is that the leader delegates decision-making power to his/her employees thereby making them more motivated and satisfied. This essential method involves the ability to change others’ perceptions by democratic tools and form self-directed groups.

There is evidence that initiative and motivation are increased when people have a more positive attributional style. This influences self-belief, resilience when faced with setbacks, and the ability to visualize oneself overcoming problems.

The implication is that empowerment suits some more than others, and should be positioned in the broader and wider context of an enabling work environment.

Key topics covered in our Empowerment courses are, as follows:

• Releasing the Power within People
• Reducing Personal Barriers to Delegation
• Deciding What to Delegate and What to Keep
• Using a Structured Approach to Determine the Right Person for the Task
• Conducting Delegation Meetings
• Empowerment versus Micromanagement
• Applying Actions that Create an Empowering Environment
• Replacing Hierarchy with Empowered Teams
• Implementing a Strategy for Continuous Empowerment Development