The Ongoing Leader: Empower Others

Letting go of work is a tough thing for some leaders. They try to let others help them, but they end up pushing them out of the way and taking over themselves. Leaders are notorious for this, as they are often more experienced and think they can get things done faster if they just do it themselves.

Do you struggle with letting others be empowered? Or, maybe you know someone that struggles with this problem. Don’t worry – there is a simple approach to learning how to let go and empower others. Here are some tips:

1. Be consistent with your communication - make sure you are using their preferred means. Not everyone likes email or Facebook. Some people still prefer the phone (gasp!). Use the right  method for the person or you won’t get a response in a timely fashion
2. Set a clear goal - explain and document your expectations and repeat them as you go for long-running tasks
3. Give them freedom - once you set expectations, hand the task over, and let them succeed or stumble
4. Be willing to coach them – giving them an opportunity to do something and coaching them on better results is always better than taking it back and doing it yourself. It takes more time up front, but soon you will have a working relationship and they’ll know what to expect from you (and you from them)
5. Pair them up – if you are concerned about someone not getting the job done in time, pair them up with someone more responsible. Anyone but you. If you are there all the time, they won’t be able to grow or feel you trust them fully

It may be a difficult step to start letting others do things without you. No matter what, stick with it. I think you’ll be amazed at what others can do if you give them the room to try things out. They may stumble at times. They may even fail terribly. But give them some room, coach them along the way, and you’ll be amazed at the progress that you’ll see!

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