em·pow·er

əmˈpou(ə)r/

verb

– Give (someone) the authority or power to do something

– Make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights

What is your Friday routine like at the office? If it’s like most companies, production and creativity are most likely subject to distraction by the fifty-two-free mini-vacations called “weekends”.  C’mon . . .TGIF! But let’s focus on one company. Here, every Friday includes a weekly, scheduled, all-hands meeting that can last a couple of hours — where employees ask questions directly to the company’s top leaders and other executives about any number of company issues. It bears no resemblance to your standard conference call: it has no set agenda, it isn’t a monologue and the staff looks forward to it. At this point, you are most likely picturing some new, upstart small company, or at most a mid-sized corporation. And if you think in terms of production, the thought of wasting two hours on a call based on Q&A seems counterproductive. So, who in their right mind would operate this way?

If you guessed Google, you are correct. According to Larry Page, CEO and Co-Founder of Google, “It’s important that the company be a family, that people feel that they’re part of the company and that the company is like a family to them. When you treat people that way, you get better productivity.” You know what the result is for this type of corporate culture? Success.

First, let’s talk about “corporate culture”, which has become an overused buzzword with companies over the last decade. Corporate culture is all about the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company’s employees and management interact and execute business. Often, corporate culture is implied, not necessarily defined, and will develop organically over time from the cumulative traits of senior leadership and key staff. Too many start-ups talk about their corporate culture when in fact developing a culture takes years, consistent leadership, successful growth and key contributors within who buy-in to your long-term goals.

Now, let’s discuss empowerment. First and foremost, I believe that true empowerment is essential to a company’s advancement of their corporate culture. In other words, you can’t have one without the other. Empowerment does not happen by accident — that’s why I refer to it as “the culture of empowerment”. Empowerment is a developed core value, exhibited within a company’s mission statement and a critical training component at all levels. It is the ongoing process of providing the tools, training, resources, encouragement and motivation your employees need to perform at an optimum level. Empowerment is the equivalent to trained creative freedom. Empowering your employees is trust. If you can’t trust them to make decisions on their own, then why are they in that position? Empowerment allows a team member to feel part of something bigger, where they can make a direct contribution each day. The consequences of successful empowerment lead to numerous benefits that have an impact on the bottom line. People feel valued, they develop a sense of pride and ownership in their work, and they are loyal and committed. Not only does it occur internally, but it will manifest itself externally to your clients, with the outcome  a higher degree of customer loyalty.

Seems simple, right – a culture of empowerment? The challenge for some leaders is that they confuse empowerment with delegation. If you are assigning mundane tasks without consistent and energetic dialogue that provides direction, and clearly defined benchmarks to discuss progress, you are not empowering your employee. Empowerment requires you to become a mentor in the process of growth and development. It is your job as a leader within your organization to pay it forward, work toward identifying the right people to think outside their comfort zone and make decisions. There are key team members amongst us that simply lack inspiration, by no fault of their own. Those who thrive on challenge and are looking to discover their strengths are desperate for mentorship.

If we are going to preach patience as a virtue in the development of the leadership process, then we must take accountability in that journey and do these five things:

1) Take careful consideration in who you mentor; it is critical in the process that you empower the right people.

2) Provide them with every resource necessary to act independently in decision-making.

3) Create an environment that inspires growth/development that will motivate employees to want to contribute.

5) Trust your team and empower them to make decisions.

If you are looking for long-term success, you cannot continue to rely upon only your ideas, methodology and execution. To win in the long term, you must execute the culture of empowerment for those who work around you.

How many times have you gazed toward the dusky sky and witnessed a flock of birds in full flight, preparing to roost for the night? It’s an amazing spectacle: hundreds of birds all moving in unison, creating a dynamic cloud moving through the sky. People often wonder — which bird leads?How do they all move with such structure, trust in the course, and respect the leader who guides them? Researchers have found that it’s not a single bird, but actually a few birds that clump closely together, and direct the others. Once those lead birds set the course, the message spreads fast. Interestingly, there is no designated leader; instead, the birds take turns.

Like all the birds in a flock, each of us has the ability to lead. Unfortunately, though, many people subscribe to the myth that a leader is an assigned role, given through a label or title. Too often, we assume that leadership is “singular” in definition, meaning only one person, rather than a “group of birds”, can set the course. The truth is that leadership is not a position or title; it’s the culmination of action and example. To lead is a gift we all have deep inside ourselves. It takes self-evaluation, the discipline to learn and the courage to discover it. Most importantly, it takes patience. Leadership is a risky journey that does not allow one to rush the process. Simply put, becoming a leader is a marathon, not a sprint. To be bold and courageous takes experience, and experience requires time.

To lead, you must be willing to risk; it’s the only guaranteed step you can take toward success. It is the foundation for which all other forward-moving actions will occur. Once you choose to take the risk, you are committed. The most prevalent barrier discouraging those who desire to become leaders is the fear of failure. If you change your mindset and face that fear, you have the power to change your entire life. Let clear thinking, constructive input, perspective, confidence and integrity be your compass on your journey toward success. Yes, you will most likely experience some form of failure or challenge along the way, but just know that failure is success at an early stage — if you learn and apply the lesson to your growth as a leader. You will find that your core principles will guide you toward prosperity. With each opportunity that you earn the chance to lead, the leader within will shine, and your character will be defined.

You know you’re old when you open with a reference from the 1984 classic, “The Karate Kid”.  Who remembers Mr. Miyagi befriending the new kid in the apartment complex, Daniel? Those famous lines: “wax on, wax off”, “sand the floor” and “paint the fence”. A frustrated Daniel just wanted to learn karate as fast as he could in an effort to defend himself against the Cobra Kai. Instead, he was taught lessons by the master of patience and intent. Expecting nothing in return — with the exception of a free waxed car, a sanded deck and a freshly painted fence — Mr. Miyagi contributed to Daniel-san being a champion. Ok, so that’s Hollywood and you knew it would be a great ending. Here’s the reality: