Enable vs. Empower - Which Do You Do?

Focus: Management style

Audio Lesson - Duration: 2 mins. 20 secs.

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Enable vs. Empower – Which Management Style Do You Have?

Transcript - print now 
Wc: 285

Read time: 1-2 mins.

Today, in our bite-size audio lesson we’re going to talk about two different management styles So, I’ll begin by asking, in your management style are you more of an “empowerer” or an enabler.

Ok, what are those two, and then, how are they manifested? First of all, an empowerer is someone who relates as a manager in a way that helps their employee or their team members actually become competent in doing what they need to do. So they might provide the proper resources, provide the proper coaching; help them work towards the decision versus telling them what to do.

An enabling manager is one that keeps an employee from developing their potential. A great example of that is a manager who does not delegate to an employee. Delegation helps an employee to develop, perhaps, a new skill set, a new sense of responsibility around a particular area.

                                                              

Enabling means that we help someone continue in the behavior that actually we really don’t want! So let me ask you, in your management style, are you more of an enabler or more of an empowerer?

                                                              

Now, I know, sometimes, that’s in context. We may be one in one context and one in another. But what I’ve found is most managers have a tendency more towards one than the other, and sometimes, that’s based on personality type as well. 

                                                              

However, for our bite-size tip for today, I’d like for you to consider which one you have a more natural propensity towards, being an enabler or being an empowerer and then consider how you need to adjust your relating style to get the outcomes you really want.