SUBJECT: Empowerment

APPLICATION: Preparing staff for self-supervision

Management Memo
By Thomas P. Sattler, Ed.D., and Carol A. Doniek

An empowered management philosophy can greatly benefit your business and your employees if it is approached with the right attitude. Keep in mind that empowerment is not a quick fix, but a process that will take time and commitment from you and your employees. According to Stephen R. Covey in his book, Principle-Centered Leadership, there are six conditions of empowerment:

1. Win-win agreement. This agreement is a psychological contract between the manager and the employee. It represents a clear mutual understanding and commitment regarding expectations in five areas:
   
   
   • Specify desired results. Be as detailed as possible about quantity, quality, budget guidelines and deadlines. Allow your employees to determine the best methods to achieve the results.
   • Set guidelines. Tell your employees what club policies and procedures are needed to accomplish the results. Identify the failure paths that have been encountered in the past. And, suggest the level of initiative employees have regarding the task.
   • Identify available resources. Detail the financial, human, technical and organzational resources available to your employees.
   • Define accountability. Specify how and when their performance will be evaluated.
   • Determine the consequences. Positive consequences might include financial compensation, recognition, advancement, increased responsibilities or vacation time. Negative consequences may range from reprimand to demotion.
2. Self-supervision. Once the win-win agreement is established, employees can supervise themselves according to the terms of the agreement.
3. Managers as Helpers. The managers can then serve as resources and help guide employees toward achieving the desired results.
4. Accountability. Employees should be encouraged to evaluate themselves in addition to the evaluations outlined in the win-win agreement. An understanding of when to give progress reports is important.
5. Skills. The three most critical skills employees and managers must possess in order to facilitate empowerment are communication, planning and organization, and problem-solving.
6. Character traits. Trust, integrity (habits are congruent with values, words with deeds, expressions with feelings), maturity (courage balanced with consideration), and the abundance mentality (there is plenty out there for everyone) are necessary for an employee or manager to be genuinely happy for the successes of others in the club. Covey stresses that these six conditions are independent. If one is lacking, the others will be affected and the empowerment philosophy will not work effectively.

Thomas P Sattler, Ph.D., is a professor in the College of Kinesiology, University of Illinois-Chicago, where Carol A. Doniek is a graduate assistant.

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