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Empowerment: Compare & Contrast

The concept of empowerment is as simple, it enables people to act freely and make decisions with autonomy to what they think is best for a given situation. However, this concept has been distorted and twisted dating as far back as the late 1990’s. The intent of this blog entry is to compare and contrasts the concepts discussed in the article, Empowerment: Rejuvenating a potent idea, by Russ Forrester (2000) and those discussed in the chapter 8 of the textbook, Developing Management Skills (2011). Whetten and Cameron (2011) identify the “Dirty Dozen” as twelve negative attributes or indicators found in troubling organizations listed as: centralization, threat-rigidity response, loss of innovation, decreasing morale, politicized environment, loss of trust, increased conflict, restricted communication, lack of teamwork, loss of loyalty, scapegoat leaders, short-term perspective. While Forrester (2000), identifies the break down in empowerment into “Six Short Circuits.” They are listed as: precipitous empowerment mandates, overreliance on a narrow psychological concept, one-size-fits-all empowerment, negligence of the needs of power sharers, piecemeal approaches, distortions of accountability.

The concept of precipitous empowerment mandates is referred to as a “retractable leash” (Forrester, 2000) as managers can take the “power” back at any time. This is similar to how Whetten and Cameron discuss that managers can develop a loss of trust and enact a threat rigidity response when power is misused or lost. The one-size-fits-all concept of empowerment discussed by Forrester (2000) identifies how managers fail to differentiate between employees. Thus, giving everyone equal power is not the same as given selected individuals power. This is a main reason empowerment fails as not all individuals either know what to do with “power” or care to do anything with “power.” Forrester goes on to discuss how “needs” play a key part in empowerment and how individual, middle manager and senior managers “needs” require to be fulfilled. This correlates to the dirty dozen in that when a lack of teamwork is experienced it usually results in a lack of accountability. Loyalty within middle management would then occur as everyone tries to pass the buck. The textbook and article both clearly outline negative ways in which empowerment can be twisted and distorted.

The second focus point of Forrester’s article (2000) identifies six ways to improve empowerment within an organization. He outlines these elements as “Six Channels to Higher Voltage Empowerment” listed as: above all enlarge power, be sure of what you want to do, differentiate among employees, support power sharers, build fitting systems, and focus on results. The text similarly outlines nine prescriptions for empowerment as: articulate a clear vision, provide opportunities to foster personal mastery, model the correct behavior, provide support, create emotional arousal, provide necessary information, provide necessary resources, connect to outcomes, and create confidence.

Forrester’s first point, above all enlarge power, is connected to how the text outlines to foster personal mastery experiences and connect individuals to outcomes. Both of these concepts discuss how the individual have to obtain tangle power whether it is internal or external. The need for a fitting system is similar in that the text calls to provide information, support, and resources. All of which would be involved into a system to prevent the enacted empowerment from burning or fizzling out. Overall, I found that the article and text were similar. They both pointed out general and specific flaw for empowerment and given example of companies that failed to produce. The concepts of both, although organized differently, presented the same message. Empowerment needs to be carefully implemented and tailored to support individuals; a buffet style approach will not suffice.  

References

Forrester, R. (2000). Empowerment: Rejuvenating a potent idea. The Academy of Management Perspectives, 14(3), 67-80. http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/210518384?accountid=27203

Whetten, D. A., & Cameron, K. S. (2011). Empowering and Delegating. In Developing Management Skills. (8th ed.). (pp. 439-489). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc..

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Motivation

     Andy Mulholland discusses three significant points regarding motivation of individuals. Foremost, he belabors the point that money doesn’t solve problems and money cannot be used as an exclusive motivator. The first key element of motivation he discusses is “to give the individuals interesting work.” Menial task after menial task will create boredom and leave the individual unfulfilled. Second motivational technique is to “increase the individuals skill set.” This can be done with additional training or increasingly more difficult tasks. Lastly, and most importantly, he communicates that individuals have to be “recognized and valued for their contributions.”A “job well done,” will reinforce the communication between manager and subordinate. This will also humanize the manager to the employee and convey the feeling of importance to the employee as a valued member of the team.
    
     I believe that the three points of motivation discussed above along with equitable treatment aside my peers, managers being attentive to personal needs and opportunities for advancement are amongst the highest motivational factors I consider in my employer. I like to have interesting and unique work experiences and would find doing the same task repetitively completely boring. It is also important to know that the employer wants to invest resources to increasing my skill set, which in turn should help the organization. This goes along with having room for advancement within the organization. Until I am running the business, I want to be able to continually increase my skill set and move up within the organization. There probably will come a time I settle in, but currently I want to climb the ladder as high as it will go. The motivation of having an employer that focuses on personal needs of the employee is also important; I do not want to be part of a “bottom line” organization.  I believe that equitable treatment among the employees is particularly important so all members of the team feel equally valued. A manager displaying favoritism or giving preferential treatment would not motivate individuals. Lastly, I like to be recognized for my hard work, I do not seek out special attention, but I do enjoy a hand shake or thank you for a job well done. Although these motivators my mostly my personal preferences I can predict majority would be relevant for other individuals as well.

     Overall, motivation is different for different individuals. It is important for a manager to figure out what those motivators are for each particular employee and use those to keep the employee engaged within the workplace. Above all else, money cannot solve the problem.

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My organizations structure is painted by leaders on a canvas of subordinates. The stroke of the brush is like communication and the interpersonal relationship is the paint. I’ve observed over my years Michelangelo’s 16^th Chapel and 1^st graders spatter. I’ve previously stated, “Communication is the key to our success.”  When communication breaks down or turns destructive that sanctity of the mission is compromised. It is essential to have leaders, engaged in subordinates with effective and supportive communication.

Over the next month I plan to integrate supportive communication techniques in my routine. I will include within my personal thinking time each day those who I’ve communicated, and how well I did at communicating supportively. Additionally, I will discuss with the junior officers I mentor routinely the eight attributes of supportive communication. I plan to make it into a game for the group of us to try to catch each other on the residual side of supportive communication. I think for them being able to sneak in a jab from time to time will keep them interested and engaged.

The biggest faux pas I see on a daily basis by leaders or I is not remaining congruent, focusing on problems and not the person, owning statements and supportive listening. I think the congruent aspect is mostly a product of good body language. All too often a lame duck task will come down and our body language expresses disinterest. In order to focus on problems not people, I plan to not judge people and ensure I have all the facts in order to define a problem. I think owning statements will be the easiest to amend and I can catch myself when not using “I.” Lastly, supportive listening will be applied depending on my role in the situation. I see myself in an advising role often but I want to start applying a reflective response to a communicator. I think this will broaden the communication as a whole.

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A520.3.1.RB - Decision Making

Cautious, Logical, Active, Self-Motivated, Rational, Assertive

     I would consider myself cautious in the majority of decisions. The gravity of the decision has a lot to do with the way I will approach it. Choosing between chedder or american on a cheeseburger is a lot different than buying a new house. Part of the decision making process involves consideration to the 2nd and 3rd order effects. I rely significantly on logic and apply a common sense approach to a majority of day-to-day decisions. I consider myself to be self motivated, I can not stand to sit idle waiting for a decision unless there is a specific need to delay. If it is necessary to acquire more information or data I consider that part of the decision making process. Along with being logical, I also consider myself to make rational decisions. I consider it almost a personality flaw to make irrational and pure emotionally driven decisions. I rarely like to go out on a whim. Lastly, I tend to be assertive. When I make a decisions, good, bad or indifferent I stick behind it. On occasions where it turns out to have negative consequences I learn from that experience. That experience then goes back into my brain to be applied with logic on the next decision.
     The converse of my words above are: Risk Taking, Intuitive, Passive, Influenced by others, Emotional and Quiet. Although I sometimes I may make an intuitive decision it is never based on raw emotions or by being influenced by others. The decision itself is likely to have little or no significant impact as well.  I do not like to wait around or take unnecessary risks as it could waste time or possibly assets.
     I consider the decision making process to be unique in nature for each decision. Although the majority of my decisions fall into the categories listed within the first paragraph I have tapped into the those listed in the second paragraph. Since each decision is unique in nature I can see merit in remaining open minded and focuses on the task, or decision at hand. The military has a process that I apply at work on may occasions named plainly as the Military Decision Making Process. For short we call it MDMP. It has seven steps: Receipt of Mission, Mission Analysis, Course of Action (COA) Development, COA Analysis, COA Comparison, COA Approval, Orders Production. It is actually as bland as it sounds. 

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Time Management:

     I am afforded in my current position a high degree of flexibility and I enjoy managing my own time throughout the day. Some days I work through lunch on a hot project other days I’d classify it as “grazing about in pasture.” I still have events or meetings to attend at times but day to day I set my own schedule. 

     One of the military schools I attended went to great length to teach time management. On average they charged you with 50 tasks and enough time to complete about 35 of them.  For instance, the day started off with the cadre waking you up, announcing several things (words, numbers, letters, or phrases) you had to memorize as you scurried about to be used throughout the day.  From the first whistle blow your group, about 55-60 people, had to change into the correct uniform, make their bed “correctly,” brush their teeth, and move downstairs into formation. All this had to be accomplished in 7 minutes. Oh the days I do not miss. Since then, I’ve developed skills such as goal setting, schedule making, and over time have maintained an internal locus of control.

     The following rules from our text I apply in a consistent manner as an individual. This stems from the internal locus of control and allows me to manage my time efficiently and effectively. Make a list of things to accomplish today, Prioritize your tasks, Do one important thing at a time, Determine the critical 20% of your tasks, Don’t procrastinate, Set Deadline, Reach closure on at least one thing every day, Write down long-tem objectives (Whetten, Camerson, 2011). As a leader and manager, I find the following rules of out text extremely helpful. Hold routine meetings at the end of the day, Cancel meetings once in a while, have agenda, stick to them, and keep on track. Start meetings on time, Insist that subordinates suggest solutions to problems. Don’t over schedule the day, Have a place to work uninterrupted,   Keep the workplace clean, Delegate work (Whetten, Camerson, 2011).  These lists are ot all includes but represent how I work and manager my time.

      As far as improvement I think I have areas that I can work on as an individual and manager. As an individual I want to be more diligent on reviewing my calendar. I tend to update my calendar in spurts rather than use it as a main stream organization hub. I also need to slow down and add more personal time for “thinking.” I sometimes find myself in a “go, go, go” mentality to get things down. I shall call this “Shawn Time” and its going on the calendar. As a manager, I want to improve on my emotional intelligence. It was the lowest quartile within my personal self awareness and is going to be the most difficult skill to master. I don’t anticipate by the end of the course being able to pull a “Jedi mind trick” on someone. However, after increasing my understanding of this skill, I think emotional intelligence plays an important role in the workplace.

      Action plan is as follows: Calendar review and update each morning prior to work and at the end of the day, just prior to “Shawn Time.” My thinking time will be blocked for 15 minutes minimum with no distractions such as radio, television, wife or kids. Lastly, during “Shawn Time” give thought to interpersonal interactions with the people throughout the day and how emotional intelligence came into effect.

Whetten, D. A., Camerson, K.S. (2011). Developing Management Skills (8th Ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.