Do you master these 3 E's? Impactful leadership #3.
The classic approach to manage business critical change is top-down with a small team performing the planning of needed activities and the chief executive calling the shots. How likely will this approach disconnect the leader from his organization, with resulting low engagement, commitment, performance and higher change resistance? Technically things may change, while that’s not nearly enough for a sustainable turnaround and/or transformation into something new.
If you on the other hand invite people to participate and contribute in identifying issues, solutions and opportunities, the level of Engagement is high from the start. Shared understanding builds early and buy-in is achieved in a fraction of the time compared to top-down approaches, even if supported by extensive roll-out activities.
Having been engaged, people will understand the problems and opportunities at hand and be prepared to handle them.
However, if you still keep most decisions for yourself to take and control, you’re going to have a long list to handle – you will be a bottle neck - which you cannot afford as time is of essence. So spare yourself - trust and Empower people to take responsibility, make decisions and perform - release their energy. When people feel trusted and empowered miracles can happen.
Self-direction will occur, and ideas and solutions that you could never come up with by yourself, will move forward.
There are always obstacles, waste and other circumstances that occasionally hinder optimal performance. Enable people by connecting those who can solve the issues and facilitate them in identifying the highest hurdles.
Enable people by helping them to lower or eliminate hurdles.
Engage + Empower + Enable = Maximum People Power
