Is your version of empowerment setting your team up to fail?
In their effort to boost employee engagement and retention, many organizations overlook one of their most powerful assets: empowered middle managers. When these leaders feel trusted and supported, it cascades to their teams. And the impact is measurable. Teams led by empowered managers enjoy 79th percentile employee engagement, and 67% of employees say they’re more likely to go above and beyond as reported in Forbes (“The 6 Key Secrets to Increasing Empowerment in Your Team”). Contemporary leadership theory emphasizes empowerment – encouraging open dialogue, recognizing contributions, and extending trust. But in real-world settings, something critical is often missing. Empowerment without resources is a hollow gesture. If managers aren’t given the time, training, support and validation to lead confidently, then autonomy becomes more of a burden