Ten Steps to Empower

In order to get power you have to give it away--one of the great yet seldom recognized paradoxes of the business world. When managers empower their employees, they gain real power for themselves.

Through Diane Tracy's Ten Principles for Empowering People, she shows:

• Why a clear definition of responsibility is the foundation of power
• How knowledge and information are critical to a person's power
• How people are empowered when they receive honest feedback on a consistent basis
• The paradoxical effect of giving workers permission to fail--and thereby sufficienct latitude to succeed
• Why respect for the individuals is the key to releasing one's personal power

Particularly in turbulent times, empowerment is the key to maximizing productivity, maintaining employee morale, and meeting the long-term objectives of the company. Empowerment is the only way to create a win-win situation for the employee and the manager, the company and the customer.