1. LEADERSHIP AND EMPOWERMENT
AT KMT
Feb 8th 2013

2. As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their
existence.
The next best the people honour and praise.
The next, the people fear.
The next, the people hate.
But when the best leaders’ work is done, the people
say, “We did it ourselves”.

Lao Tzu (c. 500 BC.), the way of Lao Tzu, Number 17.

3. 
Inspiring the organisation and its stakeholders with
a clear vision and compelling sense of purpose is a
necessary, but not a sufficient condition for the
development of an organisation that can learn,
adapt, and respond effectively to change.
Empowerment, providing motivated employees
with the responsibility and authority to implement
the vision is equally important.

4. THE IMPACT OF EMPOWERMENT

What studies have found:
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When employees have more control – when they help
to define their goals and hours and when they
participate in decision-making – their job satisfaction
rises.
A positive relationship has been established between
participation, satisfaction, motivation, quality,
productivity and performance
empowered employees have a sense of ownership and
responsibility
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5. BARRIERS TO EMPOWERMENT:
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bureaucracy
risk aversion
the need to control others
fear of loss of control
lack of trust
Social status
the skill and time required to do it

6. EMPOWERMENT : ACTIONS AND BEHAVIOURS
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Supporting people to help them to become more aware
of their strengths and limitations, preferences, interests
and motivational drives, values, beliefs and attitudes
Delegation of challenging tasks and authority to make
decisions and take action
Stimulating people’s intellects, imagination and
intuition, questioning the status quo, and getting them
to do likewise
Providing the opportunity, resources and support for
people to perform

7. EMPOWERMENT : ACTIONS AND BEHAVIOURS
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Sharing knowledge and rewarding learning as well
as performance
Coaching and training for skills acquisition and
improvement
Allowing and encouraging self-determination and
autonomy – the freedom of people to manage
themselves
Acceptance of responsibility (sense of duty and
obligation) and accountability

8. POTENTIAL HAZARDS
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The leader becoming too laissez faire and loses control
People whose goals are not closely aligned with the
organisation may go off on a tangent
Inexperienced groups, who are encouraged to
groupthink without some guidance, may become
dysfunctional or come to unhealthy conclusions. Teams
need some structure and process to empower them.
Empowerment needs to come with accountability,
otherwise people may take on extra freedom without
taking on responsibility

9. EMPOWERMENT IN PRACTICE
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The basic organisational requirements for successful
empowerment are:
a clear and shared vision, mission and challenge,
openness and teamwork,
individual goals aligned clearly to the vision,
clear boundaries for decision-making and clear task
responsibility,
mutual support and a sense of security.

10. EMPOWERMENT IN PRACTICE

Win-win agreements
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Specifying desired results
Setting guidelines
Identifying and providing available resources
Defining and agreeing accountability and how results will
be evaluated
Clarifying and delivering the consequences in terms of
reward and benefit

11. EMPOWERMENT IN PRACTICE
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Coaching, sponsorship, mentoring, providing
learning and development opportunities
Self-management
Skills of communication, planning and organisation,
problem-solving
character traits
Integrity
● Maturity
● Generous
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