All great leaders possess an inner drive for excellence. They are motivated to help others learn, grow, and continuously improve. Great leaders know that there is no finish line or final destination…it’s an ongoing journey of self-discovery,  reinvention and empowerment.

A leader’s most powerful influence comes from the direct relationship they develop with their team members. Whether it’s one-on-one, in a group setting or through countless social media connections, great leaders know that establishing authentic relationships is key to building trust and rapport which translates into stronger loyalty and motivation to achieve shared goals. Great leaders know that it is important to empower others.

But, a leader needs to remember that employees are not permanently attached to their role, but rather temporarily assigned. A proven way to keep them motivated and inspired is through empowerment. Luckily, empowering people in an organization can be done in many ways.

In this article, I’ll outline the best ways for you to empower yourself and others as a leader.

Read also: Essential leadership qualities for long-term success

Tips for leaders to empower others

As a leader, here are 12 key ways that you can empower other persons:

• Giving them responsibility
• Providing training
• Building trust
• Through employee-recognition
• Sharing information
• Giving your team a voice
• Showing respect
• Being consistent
• Being solution-oriented
• Establishing a vision for future success
• Showing empathy
• Giving due credit

(1) Give responsibility to empower others

Delegating responsibility is the main way to empower others in an organization.

In fact, employees will feel confident if they are given more responsibilities and can use their judgment in tackling tasks rather than following an order blindly.

They will also feel more responsible for their work, and be motivated to give it their best.

(2) Training will empower employees

Employees should be given proper training on how to complete each task assigned to them so that they can do their job well.

Actually, training is empowering because employees can learn new skills and knowledge to help them be more competent in their role.

Even if they don’t get everything right the first time, giving them a second chance will make them realize that you trust in what they are capable of. This will significantly boost their confidence. 

"The ultimate use of power is to empower others." - William Glasser

(3) Trust will empower others

One of the most crucial ways to empower people is by trusting them, giving them autonomy and independence to carrying out tasks.

Essentially, this will give them a sense of ownership over the work they do because it’s up to them to achieve what’s expected of them.

(4) Employee recognition will boost empowerment

Employees need to know that you notice and appreciate their contributions. 

Actually, by thanking others for their efforts, they feel recognized and valued, which encourages them to continue giving their best and working hard.

As such, leaders should encourage employees recognition when the team achieves a goal or meets an objective.

This creates internal motivation and shows employees that they’re capable of accomplishing more than they thought possible, which in turn empowers them to continue working hard.

(5) Sharing information will empower others

As a leader, you should share your resources and knowledge with employees.

In fact, if the team is informed about new resources or products, they are empowered to expand their knowledge.

(6) Give your team a voice for empowerment

Another key way to empower others is by giving them a voice.

Actually, providing opportunities for employees to share ideas and feedback about the business, leaders empower them to be actively involved in decision-making.

(7) Show employees respect to boost empowerment

Leaders should listen carefully with an open mind when their employees have suggestions or concerns.

This empowers employees by showing them that their opinions matter.

(8) Be consistent to empower others

People need to know that they can trust you, and the only way they’ll learn this is through your actions.

If you show consistency in your words and follow through on promises, people will begin to believe in you as a leader.

(9) Be solution-oriented, not problem-oriented to boost empowerment

Sometimes, you’re not going to have all the answers. As a leader, you must be able to problem-solve together with your team members.

This way, they feel empowered by their role—not defeated because of their lack of knowledge.

"One of the greatest things you can do to help others is not just to share and give what you have, but to help them discover what they have within themselves to help themselves." - Rita Zahara

(10) Establish a vision for future success for employee empowerment

By having a vision for your team, they will understand the mission and how their work contributes to achieving it.

Actually, they’ll also feel more capable of contributing to a goal that is greater than themselves.

(11) Have empathy towards others

Great leaders don’t make decisions based on their personal preferences—rather, they make choices based on how things will affect the people around them.

Fortunately, they know that their decisions can either help or harm others and choose to do what’s best for everyone involved.

However, it’s also important to be realistic about your expectations—it prevents you from setting the bar too high.

(12) Give credit where credit is due to empower others

Great leaders don’t try to take credit for projects that they didn’t help create. Instead, they reward and celebrate others who contribute and achieve noteworthy milestones.

They know that everyone’s work is valuable and deserves recognition.

Being a great leader is not easy. In fact, it takes more than just knowing some quick tips on how to be one—it’s about consistency, dedication, and having a servant-like mindset that makes a person a true leader.

Follow these steps and you’ll be amazed at how much your team will accomplish together.

Now that you’re aware of how to empower others, it’s also important to work on empowering yourself as a leader. Here are some of the best tips.

How do you empower yourself as a leader?

A lot of people tend to admire leaders for their wisdom or their charisma.

But, great leaders are the ones who learn from their mistakes and continue to improve and inspire others through their action and communication. 

Leaders are also often sought after for their advice and guidance, so empowering yourself as a leader will allow you to be more confident when it comes to decision-making.

To empower yourself as a leader, you should:

• Leverage your strengths
• Understand your weakness
• Make effective use of assistants

"People are thirsty for encouragement. Be the type of leader that lifts and empowers others." - Steve Gutzler

Leverage your strengths

Firstly, to empower yourself as a leader you should realize you can’t be everything to everyone.

So focus on your strengths. This way you can maximize your time, effort, and skills.

Understand your weaknesses

Know what your weaknesses are, and create a plan to improve yourself in those areas.

In fact, this will make you more confident in your abilities as a leader, knowing that you can step up when the time comes.

Make effective use of assistants

Finally, when you’re faced with a tough decision, it’s helpful to bring in your “counsel.” This can be someone who is more experienced than you and has valuable insights.

You’ll find that they are very effective in helping you make the right choice.

Read also: 3 Leadership pitfalls to always avoid at all cost. 

Final words on empowering yourself and others as a leader

In this article, I’ve covered what empowers others and how leaders can use these principles to help their teams grow.

Undeniably, there are many factors involved in empowering people—from the length of time they spend with a mentor or coach to the way they see themselves as an individual—but I hope that this post has given you some practical tips to empower others and yourself as a leader.

Let me know if there was anything this list that stood out for you in the comments below.

Related topics

What are the characteristics of a good leader?

A good leader is someone who can motivate and inspire others to achieve great things.

They are able to make difficult decisions, build strong teams, and communicate effectively. 

Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, but they share some common characteristics.

In this blog post, I’ll discuss what makes a good leader, and explore some tips for becoming a better one. I hope you find this information helpful!

What are short term leadership goals?

Short-term leadership goals are important because they help maintain focus and keep the team on track.

In fact, they provide a framework for decision making and allow for course corrections along the way.

By setting short-term goals, you can ensure that your team is always moving in the right direction. 

Discover 4 leadership skills to excel immediately.

Reference

Cai, D., Cai, Y., Sun, Y., & Ma, J. (2018). Linking Empowering Leadership and Employee Work Engagement: The Effects of Person-Job Fit, Person-Group Fit, and Proactive Personality. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 1304.