If you examine the culture of your organization, you may find there are parallels to past experiences. Throughout life, we learn how things ought to be done in our society. In essence, we move from being an individual to being a virtual clone of the current state. Our actions are questioned and realigned to meet expectations.
New hires start with a strong sense of power, passion and commitment. Eventually they learn the rules, what works, what doesn’t and who you need to please. Playing by the rules often means winning and those who don’t often end up losing. Yet, business leaders continue to scratch their heads and wonder why people avoid conflict, giving feedback or being innovative.
Employees want to do good work, be valued and empowered to make a difference. Great managers know how to unleash employee power. There are some simple steps leaders can take to enable employees to be self-powered.
•Provide ongoing context on how team efforts enable strategic organizational goals. Understanding the bigger picture helps break down silos, increase interdependence and encourage more possibility-oriented dialogue. It is motivational to know why you do the work you do versus what you do.
•Define, document and share the key purpose of your employees’ role and their intended outcomes. Typical job descriptions describe the tasks involved but fail to state the ultimate reason the role strategically exists. Purpose informs employee expectations and puts managers in a better position to optimize employee performance.
•Be accountable for agreed-upon results and hold people to account. Empower employees to take ownership of their work by giving them the authority to make appropriate decisions. Trust they will do the right thing. It doesn’t have to mean that you are giving up total control – but as a manager do you really need to be involved as you might be? Employee performance increases when trusted to do what they are accountable for.
•Create team interdependence both with each other and supporting roles across the organization. Companies are plagued with “me” versus “we” mentalities that lead to challenges in providing feedback, asking for help and resolving the root cause of chronic problems. This negatively impacts productivity. Once supporting roles are understood and engaged, operational efficiency improves.
•Encourage authentic dialogue and let employees come up with ideas and ways to work more effectively. Managers who talk more than they listen or who play politics accelerate the artificial organization where everyone wears rose-coloured glasses.
•Facilitate meetings so that employees feel safe to speak up, be creative and talk about what they need and how they can get there. If they don’t talk, have them work in small groups to overcome any potential fears of being singled out.
•Reward those who take a risk. Innovative organizations are winning in our global world. Apple didn’t achieve its success by accident. It is unique and powerful – so are each of your employees.
By creating an organizational culture that unleashes and embraces power, you will win together. You will be a step ahead in the ongoing crusade for committed and passionate employees and clients. •
