Empowering Your Team: Must-Dos For Leaders Encouraging Independence
If you are a leader and not empowering your team, they are probably frustrated with you.
It can be difficult for an employee to work without independence. Your team members appreciate you giving guidance but wish they could have more autonomy to really stretch their wings and fly.
But it’s challenging to give all that responsibility to your team. After all, if things go wrong, you will take most of the heat. You just want to make sure that everything is running smoothly and that your people have everything they need.
You want to be the leader who participates and actually does their job instead of staying locked away in the office. You want to be the leader who leads by example, not just giving instructions.
But there are ways you can still be a good leader without becoming overbearing. For starters, you could work on empowering your team.
Empowerment is less taking a risk on your team and more trusting them to do what they are good at under your guidance. And you would not believe the benefits you could enjoy from letting your team do their thing.
Learn more about what it takes to empower your team in this article. If you are scared it will not go so well, consider the following:
Why You Won’t Regret Empowering Your Team
Boosts Employee Motivation
A former one told me I was responsible for editing my work because he trusted me to do it. I always had the safety net of knowing he would look over my work. Suddenly, it was gone.
I was scared but also motivated to do a good job. I wanted the work to be as spectacular as it would have been if my superior had edited it. So, I was more enthusiastic about getting the job done. I mean, he trusted me to do it!
That’s what that power can do. Empowering your team can really increase their motivation. When your people feel trusted to make decisions and take ownership of their work, they’re more engaged and driven to perform well.
They feel responsible for the outcome, so they want to do well and work hard not to mess up. For example, if you give a team member the freedom to lead a project, they’re likely to put in more effort and creativity, knowing they have your trust as a leader.
This boost in motivation leads to higher productivity and job satisfaction, making the team more effective overall.
Enhances Creativity and Innovation
When you empower your team, you encourage them to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions. If you are there to hold their hand every step of the way, they will never come up with their own ideas.
Some because they feel constricted, others because they are afraid of what you will say. Leading like this means you miss out on potentially good ideas coming from another source other than you.
Empowered people are more likely to experiment with new ideas and team up with others, which can lead to innovative results. For example, giving your team the autonomy to brainstorm and implement new strategies can result in more efficient processes and creative solutions to challenges. This culture of innovation benefits the entire organization.
Builds Trust Within the Team
Trust is an important component of a successful team, and empowering your team helps build that trust. It’s a working relationship, but a relationship nonetheless, and all relationships need some level of trust.
When your people see that you, their leader, trust them to make decisions, they feel valued and respected. The mutual trust strengthens team dynamics and improves communication.
For example, when a leader steps back and allows the team to handle a situation, it shows confidence in their abilities, which in turn fosters a stronger bond among team members.
Increases Productivity
If there is one thing I know about micromanaging your team, it is that it wastes a lot of time. Thus, things are not getting done as fast as they should because your team members feel the need to ask for your approval on every little decision.
It’s impractical and annoying.
On the other hand, empowering your team leads to higher productivity because it allows team members to take initiative and make decisions without constantly seeking approval. The autonomy speeds up processes and reduces bottlenecks.
When a team member can make quick decisions on a project without waiting for management approval, the project progresses faster and more efficiently. Increased productivity ultimately benefits the organization by improving overall performance.
Encourages Professional Growth
Along the way, you should make sure that your team is growing and improving as individuals. One of the greater responsibilities of being a leader is ensuring that you encourage your team to develop their skills and thus set themselves up for career growth.
Empowering your team provides opportunities for professional growth. When employees are trusted with more responsibilities, they develop new skills and gain valuable experience.
For example, delegating a challenging task to a team member gives them a chance to learn and grow in their role. The growth benefits the employee and strengthens the team as a whole, creating a more skilled and capable workforce.
A Guide To Empowering Your Team
You have the advantages, but empowering your team will take more than a speech about taking charge. It takes more effort, especially if there’s already an established culture of dependence. Some would agree that you need to practice participative leadership every single day. If you are looking for somewhere to start, consider the following:
Work on Trust
Trust is the foundation of empowering your team. When your team trusts you, and you trust them, it creates a positive environment where everyone feels safe to take risks and make decisions. So, learn how to build trust with your team.
You can start by being open, honest, and consistent in your actions. For example, if you say you’ll support your team, follow through with your promises. Trust makes your team feel valued and confident, which encourages them to take ownership of their work.
Provide Real Autonomy
Giving your people the freedom to make decisions is a necessary step in empowering your team. Allow them to take charge of their projects without micromanaging. Instead of checking in on every detail, set clear goals and let your team decide how to achieve them.
Autonomy drives creativity and productivity because it shows that you trust their judgment. When your team has the space to work independently, they’re more likely to come up with innovative solutions.
Always Offer Clear Communication
Good communication is necessary for empowering your team. Make sure they all understand the goals, expectations, and their role in the bigger picture. Clear communication prevents misunderstandings and keeps everyone aligned.
In addition, it helps build confidence among your team members because they won’t be guessing what they have to do; they will know it. So every single day you walk into that office, be clear about what you expect from your people and watch them deliver.
Another tip is during meetings, take time to explain the purpose behind each task and how it contributes to the overall success of the project. When your team knows the “why” behind their work, they’re more motivated to perform well.
Encourage Professional Development
If you are worried that your team does not have the skills to achieve a certain task, encourage them to gain or develop those skills. Empowering your team can mean supporting their growth and development.
As the leader, you are in the perfect position to provide opportunities for them to learn new skills, whether through training programs, workshops, or mentoring.
So the next time a team member shows interest in leadership, offer them a chance to lead a small project. Investing in your team’s development not only enhances their abilities but also shows that you’re committed to their success.
Foster a Culture of Accountability
Empowering your team means giving them responsibility, but it also requires holding them accountable. Make sure your team understands that with empowerment comes responsibility for their actions.
Being put in charge of my own editing also meant that if anything went wrong, I would be responsible for it. Uncle Ben said it best: with great power comes great responsibility. Make sure your team understands that side of autonomy.
When you set clear expectations, let them also know that they’re accountable for meeting deadlines and achieving results. Accountability ensures that your team takes their roles seriously, which drives better performance and outcomes.
Create Psychological Safety
Psychological safety is crucial for empowering your team. It means creating an environment where your team feels safe to express ideas, ask questions, and admit mistakes without fear of punishment.
Many times, team members are afraid of being called out, criticized, or made fun of for sharing their ideas or making decisions on major projects. It’s actually heartbreaking if you think about it.
You should not be this kind of leader. Instead, encourage open discussions and support your team when they take risks, even if things don’t go as planned. When your team feels safe, they’re more likely to innovate and take initiative, leading to greater success.
Recognize and Celebrate Success
And finally, remember to recognize the effort when empowering your team. A lot of times, leaders are so focused on getting results that they do not even take a moment to appreciate what the team has already accomplished.
Behaving like this makes the team feel like nothing will ever be enough for you. It kills motivation fast. Acknowledging your team’s hard work is a key part of empowerment. Celebrate their achievements, big or small, to show that you appreciate their efforts.
For example, if a team member exceeds their goals, recognize their contribution in a team meeting or through a company-wide announcement. Recognition boosts morale and motivates your team to continue striving for success independently.
Build A Team That Works Confidently In and Out of Your Presence
It’s good to know that work will be effectively taken care of when you have to call in sick or attend a conference in another city.
I believe that’s what my former employer was trying to achieve when he put me in charge of my own work. I even went on to be an editor, leading a small team. That’s what empowering your team can do—that, and peace of mind. So, start today and develop your people into a team that can confidently work whether you are there or not.