Why Delegate and Empower?

1
|
MTL: The Professional Development Programme
Why Delegate and Empower?
WHY DELEGATE AND
EMPOWER?
Free up people so they can excel

2
|
Attribution: All images are from sources where a Creative Commons license exists for commercial use. All icons are on subscription
from thenounproject. All clipart is from free sources. The MTL Professional Development Programme is copyright of Manage Train
Learn.
Why Delegate
and Empower?
Introduction: Delegation and empowerment are two of the most important skills of
management today. They chime with what people want and expect at work. They
hold the key to motivation. And, when used with skill, they create people who
deliver much more than you ever thought possible.

3
|
https://freerangestock.com/photos/39895/greedy-businessman-as-a-
shark.html
Nobody works happily for a shark-like boss
1. COMMAND-
AND-TELL IS
OUT
Until recently, the main form of management in
our organisations was a command-and-tell one.
That’s where the person at the top issues all the
commands and sends them down the line. This
structure is no longer likely to work. Why? First,
it's too slow for today's speed of business. And,
second, people will no longer wear its
authoritarian style. Instead, you need new forms
of managing.

4
|
2.
COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGE
https://freerangestock.com/photos/39896/the-wealthy-and-the-others--
income-inequality-concept.html
Skilled and empowered staff give you the competitive edge
In today's world of work, one of the last
remaining ways you can compete successfully
with your rivals is through the attention you give
your customers. And that depends on your
employees. Shackle them by telling them they are
too stupid to take their own decisions and you’ll
lose whatever competitive advantage you had.
Empower them and you’ll gain it for good.

5
|
Joseph and Pharaoh The story of Joseph and Pharaoh in the book of
Genesis describes a stewardship relationship.
As a result of his dreams of the future, Pharaoh had
agreed to let Joseph manage the expected years of
plenty and famine in Egypt.
First, Pharaoh made it clear that Joseph had the
power to act in his name: "...I have set thee over all
the land of Egypt..."
Secondly, Pharaoh let everyone else know of Joseph's
status: "...he made him ride in the second
chariot...and arrayed him in fine linen.“
Next, Pharaoh made it clear that Joseph was
answerable to him alone: "...only in the throne will I
be greater than thou" and did not interfere in the
task or responsibility: "Go unto Joseph; what he saith
to you, do".
As a result of Pharaoh’s trust in Joseph, the land of
Egypt and its people survived the seven years of
famine.
The story of Joseph's stewardship of Egypt is told in the
last chapters of the Old Testament book of Genesis
(chapters 37 to 50). The name of the pharaoh is not given.
Joseph's position was that of vizier, the highest office in
the land.
(https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/516595198
0/)

6
|
In our daily lives, we all have to think like managers
3. WE ARE ALL
MANAGERS
https://freerangestock.com/photos/47683/businessman-having-an-idea--
problem-solving-in-a-business-conte.html
The average adult now has a huge range of tasks
in their own lives. They have money to manage,
people to manage, and things to manage. And
yet, at work, we often give them menial tasks.
And, to add insult, we appoint someone to make
sure they do it correctly. Imagine the difference
you would make if you simply trusted them and
tapped in to their existing managerial skills!

7
|
4. TEAM
POWER
https://freerangestock.com/photos/13174/football.html
You can’t beat a well-led team
It is now recognised that the most productive unit
in the organisation is the team. The team can
work together in a much more powerful way than
the individual and the boss can. This is because
there are no barriers of status, no distinctions of
rank, and no blurring of purposes. Old
approaches to people were based on managing
one-to-one; new approaches focus on the team.

8
|
Employees want to learn and grow as part of their job
5. EMPLOYEE
EXPECTATIONS
https://freerangestock.com/photos/50137/businessman-holding-a-virtual-
brain-in-the-palm--skills-concept.html
Our parents’ and grandparents’ generation had a
“job for life” mentality in which do-as-you’re-told
loyalty was rewarded with a job for life. Today’s
generation neither wants nor expects that. When
surveyed about what they want from a job, “the
chance to work independently” and “the chance
to learn” always come higher on the list than
money and security.

9
|
6. THE POWER
OF
INFORMATION
https://freerangestock.com/photos/61428/analyst-working-on-
laptop.html
Information is universal, instant, and ongoing
The changes going on in our organizations have
been brought about by an unprecedented access
to information. We now know what goes on in
our organizations to an extent never experienced
before. It is instant, constant and huge. Moreover,
the information is no longer restricted to those in
power. It is anywhere and everywhere that your
people are.

10
|
https://freerangestock.com/photos/39080/think-green-concept--splashes-
and-butterflies-on-hand.html
Give people the freedom to fly
7. DEVELOPING
YOUR BEST
ASSET
It’s a truism to say that the best asset of an
organization is its people. But it’s true. This is
what one director of a production organization
has to say: “In the past, we employed a worker
for his hands. Now, with the intense competition
from everywhere, we simply cannot afford to
ignore the whole contribution that people can
make. We need their hands, their heads, and
their hearts.”

11
|
This has been a Slide Topic from Manage Train Learn
AFinal
Word
There is no doubt that old hierarchical structures served industry well, even if they wasted a lot of
the talent in their people. Today, however, when organizations employ people, they have to use
everything that people can offer. Only empowerment and empowered forms of working can bring
that about.

Why Delegate and Empower?

More Related Content

What's hot

Similar to Why Delegate and Empower?

More from Manage Train Learn

Recently uploaded

Why Delegate and Empower?