“I can do it by myself.” How many times in life have you said that, heard it from a friend, child, parent, teammate, co-worker, boss and/or employee? I am sure that there have been far more instances than we care to count when we have either uttered those words or lived by that phrase (or something similar) and believed in the notion that “I can do it by myself.” (My father swears that phrase was actually my first set of words). As we progress in life and (if I may take a moment to reference the topic of my last article) evolve, we learn that in many situations we simply do not have the ability to just “do it by ourselves.”
Leadership, in its truest and most productive form, means possessing the intuitiveness, insight and ability to allow others to act autonomously. How do we get there? It’s accomplished through empowerment. Wait, did I hear a question in the room? Which comes first, empowerment or autonomy? Well, that’s been debated in leadership circles for quite some time. Both are built upon the mutual trust and respect the leader and his team have for one another. The employees must develop respect for their leader and trust that s/he will guide them toward success. The leader must also learn to trust that each member of her/his team will perform, successfully. Sometimes, as a new leader, it’s best to observe how the team operates and the methodologies in place before making any decisions to initiate & perpetuate change. Become involved, watch, listen and definitely open yourself up to learn from them.
My philosophy has always been, after the observation period (during which I will roll up my sleeves, dig in and work side-by-side with the team), empowering them individually is my first action. It enables everyone on the team with the ability (power) to act or simply put, to do their job. Empowering also acknowledges that you as their leader, have learned that you can trust them to complete the task(s) at hand, successfully.
Through the instillation of power and action, autonomy naturally follows. Your team’s trust in you as their leader has been established through the empowerment phase. Autonomy allows each member to act with self-governance. Through empowerment and the ability to act autonomously, everyone succeeds. And, the general demeanor of the team is fulfilled, calm, happy and much more productive.
This is where, what I refer to as “the power of we,” is in full force. Each employee knows they have the full support of their leader and that s/he will standby any decisions the team has made. In addition, the leader will guide them through any unexpected situations experienced along the way. Active, empowering leadership allows for the use of any and all errors, bumps in the road, stumbles, etc. to be used as teaching tools. Sometimes the best lesson learned is not necessarily from a book, it’s the result of a direct action that just didn’t turn out as expected or planned.
As a leader, whether newly appointed or seasoned, take a moment to reflect on the phrase “I can do it by myself” and rethink all of the moments in your career or life where you simply could not have done it by yourself. Remember to lead, mentor, teach and empower along the way. In doing so, the power of we, is much more successful than any singular “I.”
“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.”
Helen Keller