8 Tips to Empower and Encourage Your Employees
Cathie Leimbach • May 25, 2021
Do you sometimes think that your employees are doing less than you would like? You might be feeling that they are simply “showing up,” clocking in at 9:00 and out at 5:00. You would like your team to show more initiative and are uncertain how to make that happen.
Empowering your employees to be innovative, take action, and solve problems. Creating a culture where each employee is engaged and invested in doing good work helps your company’s bottom line and increases employee retention.
When employees are encouraged to take the initiative, the benefits extend far beyond the individuals. The entire team is newly motivated to work collaboratively. In addition, the spark that comes from empowering employees creates the space for some excellent work to be done. Here are some tips for creating an empowered culture.
- Delegate to develop your employees. It is easy to delegate the tactical assignments you would prefer not to be doing. Having meaningful two-way conversations with each employee, you can determine what their specific talents and interests are. Mindfully delegating responsibilities that will help them develop their abilities frees up your time and makes them stronger contributors.
- Set clear expectations. Communicate where your employees are free to act. Rather than micromanaging, permit your employees to make decisions while ensuring their choices align with company goals.
- Give your employees autonomy over their assignments. For example, it’s okay if an employee doesn’t get from point A to point B using the same means you would use. (I know, we always think our way is the best!) Empowering employees means letting them figure out, with support, how to get the results.
- Make sure your employees have the right resources. Creating a new culture takes time. Often, when you start working to empower your employees, they will still be coming to you to get answers. So instead of quickly providing the answers, offer tools, provide resources, and be a sounding board for ideas.
- Give specific, constructive feedback. Telling an employee that they did a “good job” doesn’t help them learn what they should continue to do in the future. Instead, catching them doing things right and telling them where they are succeeding helps them to continue to develop those skills.
- Accept ideas and input. Some of the best ideas come from the people doing the work. Involve your employees as much as possible in decision-making and goal setting. Not only does it help empower employees, but you are also likely to receive some value-adding ideas.
- See “mistakes” as opportunities to learn, not failure. Nothing shuts down employee initiative faster than creating a culture where everyone fears getting ‘in trouble” for making a mistake. Instead of the blame game, treat mistakes as a great learning experience for future improvement.
- Recognize employees for their hard work. Studies show that almost 65% of employees who are routinely appreciated are unlikely to look for a new job within the next six months. In addition, 40% of employees report putting more effort into their position if they are routinely recognized. It will also encourage them to continue being innovative, take action, and solve problems.
Creating a culture of empowered employees means you get your “dream team” of knowledgeable professionals who take the initiative and use their skills to help the company. Sounds pretty good, right?
In Erica Dhawan’s book, Get Big Things Done, she defines Connectional Intelligence as the ability to combine knowledge, networks, and relationships to drive meaningful results. In today’s busy workplace, it’s not just what you know—it’s how well you connect that turns good ideas into big outcomes. Strong Connectional Intelligence within a team strengthens workplace morale and productivity by impacting four key attributes of high-performance cultures: Value Visibly – People perform better when they know their contributions matter. Leaders who highlight strengths, acknowledge effort, and celebrate progress create a culture where great work becomes contagious. Communicate Carefully – In an age of nonstop messages, clarity is a competitive advantage. Thoughtful communication reduces confusion, prevents conflict, and ensures that everyone moves forward with shared understanding. Collaborate Confidently – Connectional Intelligence flourishes when people feel empowered to contribute. Confident collaboration means inviting diverse perspectives, leveraging individual superpowers, and creating space for smart problem-solving. Trust Totally – Trust is the anchor of all high-performing teams. When leaders show reliability, transparency, and empathy, people take risks, share ideas, and stay aligned toward common goals. Connectional Intelligence helps teams innovate faster, break down silos, and accomplish what truly matters. Want to learn more? Visit Erica Dhawan’s website to explore her full body of work and deepen your understanding of Connectional Intelligence.
When people hear “psychological safety,” they often imagine a workplace where everything feels easy and conflict-free. But that’s not what true psychological safety is — and it’s not what high-performing teams need. As leadership expert R. Michael Anderson points out, work and life include tough days, unexpected problems, and moments that stretch us. A psychologically safe workplace doesn’t remove those realities. Instead, it gives people the confidence and support to face them. A safe workplace is one where employees can struggle without fear of embarrassment… try new skills without being put down… ask questions, make mistakes, and keep moving forward. It’s a place where people know their leader is behind them — not by preventing discomfort, but by helping them learn through it. Psychological safety isn’t about coddling or creating a predictable bubble. Real safety looks like this: · You may hear difficult feedback, but it helps you grow. · You are encouraged to take risks, and supported when you slip. · You are stretched beyond your comfort zone, and guided along the way. When leaders create this balance — support plus stretch — people build resilience, confidence, and higher performance. To explore more of these ideas, visit R. Michael Anderson's website .