Most people have more power than they realize. Organizations that help the individuals on their teams identify, harness and effectively use their power are more likely to achieve business success.
To identify their own power, employees should ask themselves, “On your very best day at work – the day you come home and think you have the best job in the world – what did you do that day?” according to Facebook’s Global Head of Recruiting, Miranda Kalinowski.
Facebook is an example of what’s known as a Strengths-Based Organization – a company that harnesses the power of its individual employees’ strengths. By helping employees identify their individual strengths where they align with company objectives, Facebook empowers its teams to do work that is meaningful and positions the company to meet its business objectives. But leveraging individual team members’ strengths isn’t solely the work of billion-dollar companiesThe gamut from small family run businesses to global enterprises can each work to harness individuals’ strengths by following a few simple principles.
The first step is helping individual employees understand their power and how to use it effectively. It’s a valuable skill and one that should be fostered and developed – personally and professionally. (See also “Understanding Power Dynamics Can Help You Lead More Effectively.”) By helping individuals understand their power in the workplace, they are better positioned to contribute what others can’t and to complement others’ strengths.
Unlocking individual talents is a two-pronged process: 1) Observe what employees get excited about and where they see success and 2) engage in a discussion with them. Ask what they enjoy and what helps them find meaning in their work. Harvard Business Review offers fantastic tips to get team members to speak up and share their strengths. Helping employees align their work around projects that are meaningful to them will drive results for the company.
Second, transparency about business objectives is critical to empowering the team to act on their individual power. By being transparent about our business objectives and how our business model functions, for example, each individual on our team is empowered to think creatively and present ideas that help the company meet its objectives, as well as ideas that help them meet their individual objectives and goals. We recognize that great ideas can come from any level within the organization – but only if everyone knows and understands the objectives. With a team comprised of individuals with different perspectives and experiences, the way each of us approaches a problem and the solutions we propose may vary widely. Soliciting a variety of ideas increases the likelihood we will get to the optimal solution versus having it dictated from the executive team.
At Communiqué we recently revised our approach to an aspect of our business based on a suggestion from a member of the team, and additional tweaking by the group. The change resulted in renewed energy due to a stronger alignment of personal interests with business needs. It was a great idea that wasn’t evident to me but the impact even in a short window of time has been significant.
Lastly, aligning professional development and growth around individual interests and talents is critical. In terms of an employee’s individual needs and interests, it may not be realistic for a manager to know what an employee is looking to achieve or experience. That employee is better positioned to come up with creative ways to meet their own professional goals/interests, while also demonstrating how it would benefit the business and other members of the team.
Last fall when one of our team members approached us about taking two months off to travel, she was able to articulate how it could work for the business and our clients, as well as how it would make a difference to her. It was a persuasive proposition, which we were willing and able to accommodate. As a result she was able to achieve a lifelong dream and we were able to retain a valued employee, one who returned to work with new experiences that translate into her contributions for our clients and ultimately our team and the company.
As an employer, I want my team to feel empowered, be solutions-oriented, and to be focused on the same organizational objectives. While this can be a scary prospect for some leaders, having an empowered team is more rewarding – emotionally and financially.
Empowered employees also add value to your business: They are more committed, deliver better results, take less sick time and foster a positive and proactive spirit within the organization. In the article, “The Importance of Empowering Employees,” Beth Williams, CEO of Forward Focus outlines five specific benefits of empowered employees:
- Quality of work produced
- Satisfied employees
- Collaboration grows
- Productivity increases
- Employee empowerment reduces costs
Of course with that power comes some responsibility – not to misuse or abuse that power. Ultimately fostering a culture where employees know and understand the power they have to help an organization achieve its objectives and to achieve their individual objectives is a win-win for the company and the individual. It is a lot more fun to be part of a team where we are all working toward the same business objectives, everyone is empowered to contribute to achieving that goal, and everyone shares in the success!