In a sense, leaders are in the empowerment business. If you lead a team, you should spend a great deal of your time doing things that empower them.
Why? Because people consistently underestimate their capacity to make things happen. They defer instead, to people, events, feelings, or some other excuses. Then, not much happens.
The most potent form of empowerment comes when you instill self-belief into people. If they believe in themselves and feel assured that their gifts have a home in your team or organization, they get really loyal and really motivated. They are empowered, self-directed, and likely to do great things. They are less deferential and less likely to be put off.
The time you invest in empowerment will be well spent.
Ken Carroll