Empowerment - Nobel or Patronising?

Empowerment goes to the heart of good governance, good democracy and good business. Being a leader is not about getting someone to do a task but making them want to so they do it without asking.

Lisa Haneberg has something different to say about that:

Saying you want to create a work environment where people do their best work and then failing to collaborate with employees (notice I did not say empower, which is generally a fake term and patronizing) about projects and decisions that affect their work - that's management on the cheap.

Apparently empowering people is 'patronizing'. Having experience in politics, I know this to be far from the case.

She does however touch on an issue that many free thinkers and leaders forget; that not everyone shares our vision. I have seen many people lose their control with employees, who are often earning the minimum wage, for not going above the call of duty.

You must not forget that whilst you have invested everything into a project; belief, time and money all for a greater spiritual or financial return, those you have brought in won't have. After all, why should you work your butt off for a low wage, or if viewed differently, low Return On Investment? Empowerment, a term used often in politics, is superficially thought about meaning 'how' to get people active and involved.

If you dig deeper, it is however about something different; the 'why' should people get involved.

Solve this latter question and the former will follow suit. As entrepreneurs, team leaders and blue sky dreamers, you must think about the 'why'.

• Why should people believe in your idea as much as you do?
  
• Why should people work their buts off for you?
  
• Why should people work harder the ruder you are?
  

If you can empower people, you can do one of the key things required of you as leader and rainmaker; motivate. Help people share you vision by focusing on the why, and the how and if's will follow.