How Do You Empower Your Employees?

We all want employees who truly care about their career, but all too often, we take such a top-down management approach that makes it impossible for employees to bring their own ideas to the table and take "emotional ownership" of their community or workplace. So the question becomes, what do you do to empower your employees to find and implement new ideas?

Well...not sure if this counts. Having 730 units, it is a lot of he said, she said which is frustrating. I bring both into my office to talk...truth seems to come out then. My staff knows how I feel and what I expect...many things can be corrected... some can not. Regardless...how a person is treated is a huge part of my bottom line. My staff knows I will deal with any thing...we will deal with it and move on. it is all a learning lesson. I can't expect them to do the right thing...unless they know 'me.'

Hi Peggy - I'm not talking as much about making sure employees understand rules/etc. Instead, I mean giving employees latitude on bringing new ideas to the table, rather than having all brainstorming come from the top down.

When I was managing a 700 unit community in St. Louis, I noticed associates coming to me excessively with problems and issues....always complaining. So I initiated the "No Gripe" policy where my team could only come to me with a problem if they ALSO brought an idea for a solution! Not only did it change the whole outlook and attitude in our office, but I also got lots of great ideas and people were providing better service to our residents because they were coming up with solutions without having to ask me all of the time. It was tremendously successful!

Maybe I am looking at this a bit differently from others. For me, in order to empower someone you need to task that individual with something to complete within a certain time frame. I mean, how can someone learn how to deal with accomplishing set goals without being given the opportunity to do it? For example, you tell your team you need to get 4 apartments leased by the end of the month. You let them decide together how to get this accomplished. The PM or RM has to let them TRY things: maybe there is an easy turn coming up (Maintenance Team lets the leasing team know this and suggests this should be a targeted apartment to rent.) The Leasing Team then takes the ball deciding how to market it (make it a mini model, highlight it to their Preferred Employers, post it on Craigslist, their FB Page, tweet it?) Unless you can step back and let the Team succeed or fail, no one learns to rise to the challenge. I agree that communication is essential and it should start as a team meeting. The problem comes when the team members are not allowed to execute the plan without someone micromanaging their ideas.

I tend to excel when left alone to figure it out. I also have learned to analyze all sides of the problem. Though that may come "naturally" to a leader, a good leader needs to develop strong decision makers who can handle things without fear of harsh reprimands if the decision turns out badly. You learn from your mistakes as well as your successes (although I like it better when I am successful.) : )

A buddy of mine told me how his old company would require a new idea from each team member every week at their Monday morning meeting. I absolutely love this idea. It is fairly hard at first, from what I gather, because people aren't "trained" to look at things and creatively think of solutions to problems (or opportunities for growth), but in the long term, it makes people more aware of the different aspects of the business and gives the sense that everybody is in charge of the success of the company.

Brent, there are some great comments here, no surprise given the constituency! My personal favorite is Becky Currie's about requiring anyone coming in with a gripe or problem to also come with a solution. Solutions can be pie-in-the-sky, ask for the moon because what a staffer thinks is 'out there' may actually be quite in the realm of possibility for the manager and his/her team. Or, they can be simple, back-of-the-envelope in nature. No reason to make something more complicated than it has to be.

Your thought about requiring a new idea every Monday morning certainly has merit as it gets the team's gray matter working, but it can also provide a bit of stress to those who just don't work that way-yet.

Empowerment in my view starts with clear communication in all areas and making absolutely sure everyone knows and understands his or her job and its boundaries. They will hesitate if they think they are going too far with an initiative. They should also be encouraged (and rewarded) for collaborating with team members in other departments, creating a solution to a problem that potentially has wider-ranging applications than one done in a silo. In a previous job, I was judged as to how well I used the resources at my disposal to increase production. This is no different.

When I had a problem or situation I was literally stuck with and needed help resolving; I NEVER went for advice without a potential solution in mind. Once my superiors were familiar with my thought processes, I felt more comfortable and needed advice less often. It eventually got to the point that I was given the green light for any solution I had in mind; as most of these solutions presented quick and long term positive results for all involved.

Whenever I was stuck; I would frame the 'feedback session' with the mindset of: "I have this problem or situation and I am stuck on what to do about it (then I would completely describe the issue). Here is what I think we need to do about it (present a solution). What do you think?"

Often my solution would include information as to who does what, when it gets done, what the solution will cost, what results can be expected and when.

Weekly one on one meetings or conversations are a key to my management style. No matter how busy I get or am I make sure that my employees know they are the key to our assets success. Goals are nice but so many managers today do not take the time to allow their employees the freedom to assist in decisions that they become afraid to step out of their box. For me it is about showing interest and following through that have been the best empowerment tools.

It is also nice when Management Companies encourage employees to send in ideas that the top execs review monthly. I know a lot of companies encourage their employees to come up with money-saving, time-saving ways of doing things and reward them with publication in the company newsletter and a cash prize. That recognition is a great motivator for everyone and the team feels supportive and proud of each other. In this way, too, if there is an on-site manager who does not encourage out of the box thinking by team members (subordinates), they company can at least hear their suggestions and implement great solutions to problems across the board.