Empowering Transformation: Unleashing Human Potential for Organizational Success

Successful empowerment starts by recognizing the human nature of organizations. 

In brief

• Empowering people is one of six key drivers for transformational success.
• Empowering leadership requires a mindset change that recognizes organizations as human beings with unique traits, emotions, and experiences.
• Empowerment goes beyond mechanical practices and is woven into the very fabric of organizations.

In today's ever-evolving corporate landscape, organizations are realizing that true success lies not only in strategic planning and cutting-edge technologies but in the power and potential of their people. EY’s Transformation Leadership: Humans@Center research – jointly conducted with Oxford Saïd Business School – tapped right into this. The research found that empowering people is one of the six key drivers for transformational success, with a 2.6x increased success rate when incorporating all drivers sufficiently in your transformation journey.

There are two steps when creating a thriving and empowered workforce:

1. The first step is viewing organizations as human beings with unique traits, emotions and experiences. By recognizing the energies, pain points and even the nourishment needed for growth, organizations can cultivate a culture of empowerment, empathy and support.
   
   
2. The second step is acknowledging that empowering people is not limited to a single dimension. It extends to every facet of the organization: from leadership practices to communication channels, from work environments and collaboration mechanisms to development opportunities.
    

Empowering leadership, what’s that?

Before diving into the why and how of empowering people, let’s take a step back and define what we mean by empowering leadership. Empowering leadership involves a leadership style where a leader not only delegates authority but also fosters a sense of autonomy and confidence within their team. This approach entails providing individuals with the freedom to make decisions, take ownership of tasks and contribute to the overall direction of projects. An empowering leader supports their team members' growth, encourages their professional development and creates an environment that nurtures self-assurance and accountability.
 

Why can empowering people help your organization thrive?

Imagine this: You're watching by the sidelines while a transformation project that affects you directly is taking place. How does that make you feel? This scenario isn't hypothetical, it's actually the main reason why giving power to individuals is so important in successful organizations, especially when big changes are happening. Understanding how our brains work, through neuroscience, adds an interesting layer to this idea. Empowerment matches up well with what our brain craves: autonomy and engagement. Think of it as flipping a switch in your brain that makes you feel excited and motivated. This feeling isn't just about doing a task, it's about getting rid of the obstacles that often come up when big changes are happening. Empowerment becomes like a key that opens up new ways of doing things during organizational transformations.

However, empowerment goes beyond making some operational changes within the organization. It's a mindset that is deeply ingrained in the corporate environment. When individuals are given the authority to voice their opinions and take on important roles in projects related to their expertise, it's more than just involvement, it's recognizing their value and potential. This recognition, which is closely connected to effective communication, builds trust, drives innovation and promotes better collaboration. A culture that focuses on empowerment isn't just a strategic choice, it's a journey to achieve great organizational results. Empowered employees are not just team members, they are the ones who make a success story possible.

Going one step further – What tangible activities can help empower people?

Depending on the maturity level of the organization and the transformation project, specific activities can be implemented to ensure the empowerment of people. These activities are not one-size-fits-all solutions, but rather adaptable approaches that can be tailored to the organization's context and goals. Here is how you can empower your people:

In order to enable involvement, empowerment and collaboration among people, it’s absolutely essential to also establish a common and shared framework. Here are some examples of activities to help you establish that framework:

By carefully selecting and tailoring these activities based on the organization's unique characteristics, leaders can foster a culture of empowerment that not only boosts employee morale and engagement but also drives innovation and organizational success.

Ready to lead with empowerment?

An empowering leadership style is accessible to all. But be realistic: Empowering leadership needs time to evolve. While some of the benefits of empowering leadership will almost immediately surface, not all of them will, and that’s normal. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Your empowering leadership strategy will need time to develop among the varying personalities, responsibilities and tasks within your organization. Take regular temperature checks from your employees, learn from the wins and what needs to be improved. Then adjust.

Get started by involving your employees in some of your day-to-day tasks. Little by little, encourage them and empower them to executing those tasks. Your people will feel the immediate encouragement and positive energy to complete these new tasks with a new sense of pride.