How to Empower Your Team

There’s no “I” in “TEAM.” There’s no “ME” either if the team is excellent. Building an amazing team is an active skill. Teams don’t just fall together and become cohesive, effective powerhouses on their own. 2022 has signaled the Great Resignation across the country. With employees leaving companies at record paces this year, it’s important that managers and business leaders start taking a more mindful approach to their team development.

As business owners start thinking of ways to retain team members, creating a company culture that people want to be a part of has become more important than ever. Here are a few ways to empower your team to help keep everyone happy and productive. My 4 step approach:

1. Listen
2. Support
3. Encourage
4. Provide

Listen

Being willing to listen to employees and taking their suggestions seriously showcases how much you trust and respect your team. When asking for thoughts and feedback, be open to the ideas presented. Being protective of your own ideas or combative when presented with challenges can cause tension and create doubt in your team.

Employees thrive when they feel heard. Giving your team a fair chance to contribute to final ideas creates pride and autonomy in the workplace. There’s nothing better than having team members that are willing to advocate for the company they work for.

Support

There’s no doubt about it, the last few years have been rough. Many people have seen physical, financial, professional, and personal challenges more frequently than ever before. When building an empowered team, show support outwardly.

Support comes in different forms. Here are some forms of support that I recommend to help keep your team operating at maximum efficiency:

1. Mental Health Breaks – Paid Time Off
2. No Meeting Days
3. Professional Development Resources
4. Team Building Activities
5. Team Gifts & Acts of Appreciation
6. Daily to Monthly 1-on-1s.

Encourage

Never underestimate the power of the tongue. Little words of encouragement go a long way to helping your team feel empowered. Whether it’s praise on a recently completed task, sharing external positive feedback from contractors or clients, or just complimenting a team member on their ability to take criticism shows how aware you are of their contribution.

With unemployment rates holding consistently at 3.6%, with some states reaching their lowest ever numbers, employees have acquired a lot of negotiating power when it comes to employment. Businesses need people, and people need to be treated well. Keeping your team encouraged will help to lower turnover rates and the need to micro-manage and motivate overall.

Provide

As leaders, you control the tone. Providing a happy, healthy workplace culture is imperative to keeping your team empowered. The satisfaction of your team is more influenced by the culture than by the pay rate. This is why high paying companies like Amazon struggle with strikes and employee unionization.

Whether your team is on-site or working from home, create a culture that is welcoming and safe for your team members. Lead with trust, respect, and community, and your team members will do the rest.

Conclusion 

Leaders, it’s time to step up and empower your team. Remember that as a leader, you cannot do things alone. Keeping your team happy and empowered allows both you and your team to thrive. 

By listening, supporting, encouraging, and providing, your team will become advocates for the success of your company. Pay attention to the overall tone of your team, whether in meetings or work performance, taking a mindful look at ways to improve. 

Are you looking for ways to empower your employees and get better results? Shana Bryant Consulting can help. We offer various services to help leaders understand their employees, motivating and empowering them. Our team is passionate about helping businesses succeed, and we always have new and great information to keep your business successful. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you reach your goals!