Delegation vs Empowerment

As a business leader, you have a responsibility to develop others, leverage your resources, and create an environment that engages people to volunteer their commitment. These are traits of a good leader, and one of the most effective tools you can use to fulfill your responsibilities and allow others to contribute is delegation and empowerment.

Delegation and empowerment are two ends of a continuum that leverage resources, develop others, and allow people to feel as if they are contributing.

The key difference between delegation and empowerment comes down to one important factor: who is in control, or how much autonomy does the individual have in the job.

“To delegate” is to deliberately assign a defined task, mission, or function to a specific person or entity, normally a direct report or subordinate.

“To empower” is a broader term that conveys giving or allowing others the freedom to act with little (or any) prompting, direction, or supervision. It also includes providing additional tools to enhance a person's capabilities.

There are three factors you must consider when deciding if you want to delegate or empower: knowledge, skills, and abilities. The more competent and experienced the team member, the more you can empower them to take ownership of the task and exercise more control. On the other hand, for less experienced team members, more direction and control may be required to ensure successful completion of the task.

The amount of control and autonomy required to complete a task is an important factor to consider when deciding whether to delegate or empower. Tasks that are very prescribed may not provide many opportunities for empowerment, but there may still be some aspects that can be delegated to team members to develop their skills and provide additional support.

Another important factor is the amount of control and autonomy that a leader is willing to give when deciding whether to delegate or empower. Unfortunately, some leaders have a tendency to micromanage everything and everyone, feeling that they must be involved in every decision and activity.

Leaders who micromanage may feel that their team members don’t have the necessary knowledge, skills, or abilities to complete tasks successfully without their guidance. However, this mindset can be counterproductive, as it can stifle creativity and innovation, demotivate team members, and limit their potential for growth and development.

Moreover, micromanagement can be a drain on a leader’s time and energy, leaving them little time to focus on strategic initiatives and higher-level tasks. It can also create a sense of distrust between the leader and their team members, eroding the team’s morale and productivity.

Your job, as a leader, is to develop others, leverage your resources, accomplish the work, and create an environment that engages people to volunteer their commitment. You can do this by giving people appropriate levels of control and autonomy with delegation and empowerment.

Delegation and empowerment creates a sense of ownership and responsibility within your team. It allows your team members to take the lead in their assigned tasks and work towards achieving the desired results. This, in turn, leads to increased productivity, better teamwork, and improved morale.

Delegation and empowerment also help in developing your team members’ skills and abilities. As you delegate tasks and empower them to make decisions, they gain valuable experience and knowledge that will benefit them in their career growth.

Moreover, by delegating and empowering your team members, you as a leader can be free to focus on strategic initiatives and higher-level tasks. As you delegate more tasks, you free up your time and energy to focus on more significant issues, such as planning, strategizing, and creating new business opportunities.

Delegation and empowerment are powerful tools that can help leaders leverage their resources, develop their team members, and create an environment that fosters engagement and commitment. By understanding the differences between delegation and empowerment, leaders can determine when to use each one and how to apply them effectively.

Understanding Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation in Your Employees

What motivates your employees?

A key component of leadership is motivation and how different techniques can be used to motivate and engage employees. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation refer to the forces that drive behavior. Internal motivation arises from within, while external motivation comes from outside forces.

Intrinsic motivation is when you engage in a behavior because you find it rewarding. You are performing an activity for its own sake rather than from the desire for some external reward. The behavior itself is its own reward.

Extrinsic motivation is when we are motivated to perform a behavior or engage in an activity because we want to earn a reward or avoid punishment.2 You will engage in behavior not because you enjoy it or because you find it satisfying, but because you expect to get something in return or avoid something unpleasant.

Of the two types of motivation, intrinsic motivation tends to be the strongest motivator over the long-term. Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations can be helpful if you understand how to leverage them for employee professional development. Many people think intrinsic motivation is the most desirable of the two, but both have their strengths if you know how to take advantage of them.

Intrinsic motivation isn’t possible in every situation due to human nature. No two employees are precisely alike in what motivates them and what brings them satisfaction in the workplace. Not all intrinsically motivated individuals will apply those skills in their workplace, either.

While it’s true that employees do benefit from a bit of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation comes in to offer something extra. These incentives — whether it’s a special perk, a bonus or something similar — can push your team forward. Offering the chance of rewards or praise can get them to complete tasks they weren’t initially interested in or level the playing field for all employees to participate and move your department or company towards the same goal.

Generally, managers should utilize extrinsic rewards when they need to motivate their team to take on new responsibilities or learn new tasks. Try not to rely on extrinsic motivation for everything, as that can create the unrealistic expectation that there will always be this kind of reward.

It’s possible to influence intrinsic motivation, though it’s not as straightforward as offering an extra day off for the highest performer on the team. Personal preference means that some people will never grow interested in a topic or want to pursue continuing education, no matter how much it can benefit them in the workplace.

But that’s not always the case. Some extrinsic motivation, such as recognition for a job well done or delivering positive feedback, can be utilized as tools to inspire intrinsic motivation. This also has a positive effect on employee motivation. 

Rewards used to inspire extrinsic motivation can encourage intrinsic enjoyment of the task over time. However, too many extrinsic rewards can have the opposite effect, leading employees to rely on them to stay motivated.

Both extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation drive human behavior. There are several key differences between motivation that comes from external rewards and the kind that is driven by an individual's genuine interest, including the influence of each type on a person's behavior and the situations in which each type will be most effective.

Understanding how each type of motivation works and when it is likely to be useful can help people perform tasks (even when they do not want to) and improve their learning.

Five Tips For Keeping Your Talented Team Satisfied

An interesting survey carried out by market research firm Ipsos in 2022 found that around 76% of employees were satisfied with their current jobs. However, the same survey found that 58% were either actively looking for new positions or were open to new opportunities.

What this shows is that many people are actively looking for improvements and meaningful changes in their current working situations.

As managers, what does this mean for us? What can we do to ensure our teams are fulfilled and willing to contribute their best efforts to the roles they are playing? Here are five tips:

1) Put quality of life as a priority for team members

Yes, compensation is still important, but be aware that employee well-being and other benefits play a vital role in the overall satisfaction of people in the workplace. You want to ensure you understand what team members value most in their jobs. Dan Pink wrote that, after the key issue of compensation was dealt with, the three main drivers of motivation are a) Autonomy (having the ability to do the job in the way they want to do it), b) Mastery (the ability to get better at doing stuff), and c) Purpose (Working for a company that has an inspiring reason for existing, so people feel they want to be part of something bigger and better)

2) Agile working practices

People have emerged from the pandemic with different priorities and a changed perspective on what ‘work’ is about. We need to assess what these changes are for our business and its implications for future work.

Companies that have become more agile in their processes will attract the talent needed to take them onto the next level of competition, so think how you are embracing agile thinking in your areas of responsibility

3) Encourage autonomy and flexibility

Another way to keep your team engaged and satisfied at work is to encourage autonomy and flexibility. You can do this by giving them the freedom and responsibility to make decisions, manage their time, and choose their work style and location. Autonomy and flexibility help your team members feel empowered and trusted and allow them to work in a way that suits their preferences and needs. They also help you promote innovation and creativity and adapt to changing circumstances.

4) Build opportunities for career progression

The younger generations (generically speaking) have a much greater emphasis on where their job is taking them, career-wise, than previous generations. Think of this as ‘progression’ rather than just ‘promotion’. Being able to assist team members in their development and growth will not only help them, but also you as a department and company. The ‘power skills’ that will be needed in the future include things like quality communication, leadership, critical thinking, agile thinking and problem-solving. The more you immerse your teams in these key future skills, the greater their propensity will be to see their futures at your company, rather than having to move on to achieve them.

5) Build relationships and culture

A fifth way to keep your team engaged and satisfied at work is to build relationships and culture. You can do this by creating opportunities for social interaction, collaboration, and fun, such as team meetings, events, or activities. You can also foster a sense of belonging, identity, and purpose, by sharing your vision, values, and stories, and by involving your team in decision-making and problem-solving. Relationships and culture help your team members feel connected and engaged and create a positive and supportive work environment.

Managing teams is difficult work.  It requires commitment to the team and being both intuitive and a good listener.  It requires excellent communication skills, and a lot of patience. By focusing on employee retention, organizations can achieve increased performance, higher motivation and improved outcomes.

Teach Them How To Fish

There's an old saying, usually attributed to Confucius, that goes something like "Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you've fed him for a lifetime." There's an important life lesson in that simple statement. Some people translate it conceptually into something like "Education is the most important thing you can give someone to better his circumstances." For me I don’t believe this gets to the heart of the matter.

The translation I like goes something like this:

Give a man the answer, and he'll only have a temporary solution. Teach him the principles that led you to that answer, and he will be able to create his own solutions in the future.

It's considerably less catchy, of course, but I think this is the true meaning of Confucius’s statement.

Suppose a employee comes asking for information that they could easily collect themselves if they are given the right training and have the necessary skill set. However, you decide to give them that information because you believe it is faster and easier than trying to teach them how to collect that information. You have given him a fish.

FAIL.

Sure, you were able to help that person by solving their problem at the moment, yet you lost time. You were ineffective. Switching costs stole your efficiency.

Why is this considered a fail? If you provide all the answers and solve all the problems, you are not helping the business. If you are the person that is always providing information and yet there are others around you that could support it with the right training and experience, you would be better served to spread that wealth by teaching them how to fish.

We need to transfer knowledge or skill from a single person to others. We need to share that information. We need to train others. Turn them into teachers and allow them to teach others within your organization. They need to teach others how to become as good as they are at that particular role so they can grow and become bigger and better at what they do for the company.

The next time you are learning a new task or a new activity, something that no one else has done before, take the time to find a peer or subordinate that can help you with learning. They can grow alongside you building that new skill. They can share the burden of how that particular process works. In that effort, you are building relationships because relationships matter.

You are also teaching them how to fish.

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Micromanagement with the Power of Trust

Micromanagement: Everyone knows the term. Micromanaging is a method of management in which an individual closely observes or controls the work of an employee. In comparison to simply giving general direction, the micromanager monitors and evaluates every stage in a process, from beginning to end. This behavior negatively affects efficiency, creativity, trust, communication, problem-solving, and the company’s ability to reach its goals.

In the best situations, micromanagement is an impediment to progress and in extreme cases it can cause the organization to stagnate.

In today's changing and fast-paced work environments, it is critical for leaders to foster a culture of trust and support in their teams. Here are a few key ways to avoid micromanagement and highlight the benefits of empowering employees.

1. Build Trust and Strong Relationships:

Trust is the foundation of any successful team. For trust to be established and maintained, employees must have a clear understanding of how they’re performing and how their work contributes to the mission of the company. Holding employees accountable for their performance by utilizing performance management tools and providing clear expectations for “what good looks like” for their work.

However, the act of micromanagement can erode that feeling of trust, and it creates a strained relationship between managers and employees. Conversely, by relinquishing control and giving employees the space to excel, trust is built, and relationships are strengthened. Trusting employees demonstrates confidence in their abilities, which in turn fosters loyalty, open communication, and collaboration. The first step in this process is aligning your expectations with your employees on their role. This can be achieved through a variety of methods, but one method includes updating your employees’ job descriptions and goals on a regular basis. These interactive conversations help employees understand “what good looks like” for their performance, helps them understand their decision rights, and helps them discern when to partner with management on more complex issues.

2. Encourage Creativity and Innovation:

Micromanagement can limit employees' ability to think critically, problem-solve, and generate innovative ideas. Allowing individuals the freedom to explore new approaches and take ownership of their work creates a creative culture. Employees who feel trusted are more likely to think outside the box and propose fresh solutions to challenges.

3. Boost Morale and Engagement:

Micromanagement erodes trust and creates an atmosphere of anxiety. On the other hand, granting autonomy can signal trust in employees' abilities. This leads to increased job satisfaction, higher levels of engagement, and a sense of ownership over their work. Empowered employees are more likely to take initiative, feel valued, and go the extra mile to achieve shared goals. When individuals have the freedom to make choices, they are more likely to take responsibility for the outcomes. This sense of ownership can motivate employees to deliver high-quality results.

Effective leadership lies in striking a balance between accountability and freedom. While it is essential for managers to provide direction and support, it is equally important to avoid the pitfalls of micromanagement. By empowering employees, promoting autonomy, and fostering a culture of trust, organizations unlock the full potential of their workforce.

6 Strategies to Coach Your Employees to Succeed

Coaching is a difficult skill for many leaders to acquire. It’s vague and slow. Leaders tend to want to move quickly toward defined goals, reach those goals, and immediately move on to the next set of goals. Coaching is frustratingly elusive to understand and seemingly convoluted in the doing; it is much easier to direct than to guide.

Coaching is the process of preparing your employees to succeed. It is an ongoing, two-way process that involves using constructive, consistent feedback to reinforce positive behavior, resulting in improved performance.

You develop leader/coaches the same way you coach; by helping them discover what coaching is. Leaders need collaborative and engaging style management. This approach focuses on developing employees in order to achieve business results rather than managing their every move. The mindset of the coach is to create an environment that fosters learning, independent thinking and opportunities to contribute.

Coaching isn’t about telling people what to do but guiding them to uncover their own answers and build confidence. If you want to level up your coaching skills, try these six strategies.

1. Stay curious

Great coaches are insatiably curious. They ask thoughtful, challenging questions that encourage individuals to think critically. Resist jumping to conclusions or making judgments. Instead, stay curious, ask open-ended, probing questions, and let the employee do most of the talking.

2. Listen for intent

The most effective coaches are active listeners. Active listening requires tuning out distractions to be fully present, observing nonverbal clues, and asking clarifying questions to gain a deeper understanding.

If you ask an employee how a project is going and their response is, “Fine,” don’t stop there. Follow up with deeper questions like:

•        What does “fine” look like?
•         What metrics show it’s fine?
•         What would it take to make the outcome amazing rather than fine?

These kinds of questions uncover valuable insights and help employees dig into solutions.

3. Hone your question-asking skills

Effective coaching pushes people to think outside their comfort zones. Strengthening your ability to ask powerful questions helps employees develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The most powerful questions are often the shortest, simplest ones. Asking, “And what else?” is a powerful strategy for helping individuals dig deeper.

4. Cultivate trust

Impactful coaching relationships are built on trust. Individuals must feel comfortable enough with a coach to be vulnerable. Maintaining confidentiality and providing psychological safety are essential to any coaching relationship.

5. Incorporate goal-setting and accountability

Coaching is about progress, and progress requires clear goals. Conclude each session with goal setting and follow up in subsequent sessions to track progress or redefine goals when needed.

6. Celebrate success

Committing to and following through on change is challenging. To keep coaches motivated and committed to growth, remind them to celebrate their achievements, regardless of how big or small they are.

Important coaching behaviors to emphasize are many: being open and honest, taking risks, empathy, reflecting, linking coaching and performance, asking open-ended questions, providing emotional support and supporting self-discovery. Coaches are role models for others. They are excellent listeners and communicators, providing perspective and encouragement while also setting high standards and expectations.

Coaching is one of the premier skills of a good leader, but one that is often overlooked. A leader whose goal is to help employees fulfill potential must be an exemplary coach. When you adopt a coaching mindset with your employees, you empower them to grow and give them the chance to feel heard. Staff who feel heard are more likely to be engaged in their work and committed to staying in their positions.

3 Ways to Give Thanks on Thanksgiving (or Any Time)

Ah, November. The leaves are falling, the weather is chilly, and the smell of pumpkin spice permeates the air. While you’re probably making plans to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, there’s one group of people you may be forgetting—your employees.

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to express your gratitude to those around you. Making your employees feel appreciated now only promotes mutual feelings of goodwill, but it can make them feel more loyal and dedicated to their work.

Giving thanks on Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be difficult. These appreciation ideas for employees will help you get into the spirit and show how much you appreciate the people you work with.

1. Take the time to talk to, and get to know, your employees. The most significant way to thank your employees is to get to know them. Take them to lunch or schedule time to ask about their values, hobbies, and interests. Understand your employees. Use what you now know about them to build a customized skills-improvement performance plan. Spend time with, and become interested in, each of your employees.

2. Ask employees what they think. The best way to feel appreciated is to be included – to feel that your perspectives matter. In a Lean environment, we need input from all of our employees to be successful. Including employees in company issues, challenges, and opportunities empowers them, engages them, and connects them to the strategy and vision of the company.

3. Say thank you and mean it. Most managers actually do thank employees who do great work. Employees work for more than money. They work for the praise and acknowledgement of their managers. A sincere thank you, said at the time of a specific event that warrants the applause, is one of the most effective ways to appreciate employees. Remember the phrase, “What gets rewarded, gets repeated.” Start to say “thank you” or “I appreciate what you do” when it is deserved, and it will inspire the behaviors to continue. Make it personal and sincere. Catch employees doing great things and respond. It empowers them, appreciates them, and celebrates their performance.

The Thanksgiving season is a great time to recognize employees for their dedication. Finding simple and creative ways to show your appreciation does not have to be difficult. Be creative and try to come up with new ways to say, “thank you” this holiday and every day.

Regardless of your style and how you do it, connecting with employees and taking the opportunity to thank them, whenever you can, pays dividends for everyone. Appreciating and thanking your employees isn’t hard or costly. So, take the time to make a difference in your employee’s life. You will be pleasantly rewarded by them making a difference in yours

This Thanksgiving, remember to extend a special thank you to your coworkers. Not only will it mean a great deal to them, but they will likely return their gratitude in kind! With a simple “thanks”, you will be building a sense of gratitude and appreciation that can outlast the Holiday season and ultimately embed itself into your company’s culture.