Are You the One Preventing Your Team’s Success?

Brief 

Managers who withhold information, schedule unnecessary meetings and give unclear guidance may be preventing their teams from succeeding, writes David Dye. “The challenge for most managers is that they think they’ve communicated what success looks like, but their team doesn’t have the same picture at all,” Dye writes.

Insight

Empowered teams will transform results, solve problems you didn’t know exist, and rapidly respond to change. Most managers will say they want those outcomes and that they believe in an empowered team, but unintentionally prevent their teams from doing their best. Avoid these common roadblocks and you’ll release your team to be their best:

1. Soak up their time
2. Unclear definition of success
3. Be a chokepoint
   Misguided support
4. Keep information to yourself
5. Fear new ideas
6. Lack of accountability
7. What is an Empowered Team?

“Empower” is one of those business lingo words that risks losing its meaning because it’s used so often – and often incorrectly. Even the core meaning of the word (to give power) is challenging. There are some times you do “give” power over…for example, when you ask someone to make a decision or offer an opportunity to try something new.

But most of the time, empowerment isn’t about you giving your team anything – it’s about helping them understand and own the power they already have. This means removing roadblocks, supporting them, giving them the information they need to make effective decisions, and helping navigate relationships with other teams.

An empowered team solves problems on their own, they think critically, the own their outcomes and work together to achieve them. They are confident and competent, while continuing to learn and grow.

One Big Reason Managers Disempower Their Team

The most common mistakes that disempower teams often result from a manager’s insecurity. Insecurity looks like a manager who feels they have to demonstrate their value by taking up everyone’s time, being the source of all knowledge, or unwillingness to consider new ideas because of the risk involved.