Welcome to Business Growth Mindset podcast. I’m Kristian Livolsi, and I am super excited to share this episode with you. To all the business owners and entrepreneurs—the crazy ones, the believers, the doers, the clever makers, the action takers and everybody else in between—this podcast is designed for you.
Last week’s podcast on the nature of leadership generated significant feedback about organisational culture and the distinction between management and leadership. This response inspired me to elevate the discussion and focus on leadership empowerment.
The Foundation of Team Empowerment
Just as with creating or changing your business culture, team empowerment must start at the top while being driven from the bottom. If these two forces aren’t working together, change simply won’t take hold. But how do you drive things from the bottom? By empowering your people. And how do you empower your people? By becoming an empowered leader yourself.
In this context, we’re not defining empowerment as giving people power—you don’t need to give people something they already have. Instead, we’re defining empowerment as helping them identify and release their inherent power.
Three Stages to Building Proactive, Empowered Teams
Stage 1: Sharing Information
The first step to empowerment is sharing information with everyone in your team. It’s that simple. Without information, how can anyone feel empowered? When you tell someone to do something without explaining why, you deny them understanding—and understanding is crucial to purpose.
People with information are compelled to act responsibly. Every leader wants responsible, trustworthy team members. How do you develop these qualities? By exhibiting them yourself through information sharing.
Stage 2: Creating Autonomy Through Boundaries
For people to become empowered, they need to learn new ways of thinking and working together. This requires clear boundaries. Many attempt change without setting boundaries and then wonder why the changes don’t stick.
Set clear boundaries by defining:
- Purpose: What business are you in and why?
- Values: What are your operational values?
- Vision: What picture do you have of your future?
- Goals: What are they and when will you achieve them?
- Roles: Who does what and who is responsible?
- Structure and Systems: How do you support what you want to do?
Stage 3: Replacing Hierarchies with Self-Directed Teams
This final stage is where decision-making becomes the responsibility of the team or individual team members. It happens when teams and individuals become problem-solvers. Building self-directed teams is critical to great leadership—as a leader, you want to create more time for yourself, and this happens when others can solve problems independently.
The Power of Empowered Leadership
Empowering leadership isn’t primarily about empowering yourself—it’s about empowering others. Through this empowerment of others, you as a leader strengthen your position. While it’s challenging to give up control when you’re highly skilled, empowering others is perhaps the most crucial leadership quality.
The fear of relinquishing control often underlies leadership mistakes. Rather than protecting yourself by retaining control, you ultimately put yourself in a weaker position. The simple truth is that empowered teams can achieve more than empowered individuals.
Implementing Empowerment in Your Organisation
Remember these key points:
- People don’t naturally know how to work in self-directed teams—they need guidance
- Everyone needs training in team skills
- Commitment and support must come from the top
- It’s an investment of time and energy that pays significant dividends
- Succession planning becomes natural when teams are truly empowered
Moving Forward
If you’re struggling to take control, lack freedom, or have no time, it’s likely you’re not empowering your team and are carrying your organisation’s weight on your shoulders. It doesn’t have to be this way. Start by implementing these three stages:
- Share information openly
- Create autonomy through clear boundaries
- Build self-directed teams
As always, live with purpose.
Kristian Livolsi
Ready to empower your team and transform your leadership? Contact us to learn how we can help you implement these strategies in your organisation.