Module 7 An Empowerment Example

    During my short career one particular supervisor stands out above the rest in regards to employee empowerment. This supervisor, Caitlyn Diffley, put me in charge of a large program within the U.S. Air Force Academy Admissions office at just 22 years old. The program was called the Diversity Visitation Program (DVP) which organized and executed week-long visits, or camps, at the school. The program required scheduling complex itineraries with several events and third-parties along with the transportation logistics during the event, but also to get students to and from their homes. We served as travel agents where we booked flights well in advance, we organized food sustainment, we made room arrangements for the high schoolers to stay with current cadets, and we escorted the participants around each day. This was a high-visibility program and very important to the admissions office. 

    Diffley truly embodied what it meant to delegate by trusting and encouraging her subordinates, including me, to complete the effort. She allowed our team of five to figure out how to run the program our way rather than dictating that it had to be done a certain way. Even during meetings with our director where I would provide a poor plan, say something wrong, or not be able to answer a question, Diffley took the hit for the team and owned up by saying it was her mistake. She went into the meeting knowing that would happen. She knew we would fail and that she would take ownership. She let us fail in front of the director so we could learn from our mistakes. Diffley never acknowledged her intentions, however, it became clear that she was supporting us in that manner and on all other fronts. Her example of delegation embodies Thomas’ (2015) definition, “to only do, what only you can do” (p. 241). Due to this, I enjoyed my work and really wanted to do my best for the team and for her. She empowered me which allowed me to grow rapidly with some minor grooming along the way. As Whetton & Cameron (2016) write, “to empower means to enable…empowered people not only possess the wherewithal to accomplish something, but they also think of themselves differently than they did before they were empowered” (p. 367). I am forever thankful for her leadership and impact on me.


Top 3 Engagement Plans

    1. Trust Others: I will ensure that when I say I trust someone that I follow-through by truly doing so. I will not micromanage. I will believe in my subordinates. I will reinforce the idea that the completion of the task or objective to my vision is what is required, and that it does not have to necessarily be completed the way I would do it.

    2. Delegate: I will not hold tasks or information close-hold. I will share work with my subordinates more than I currently do now. I must let go of my perfectionism and allow them to fail from time to time; these failures will be acceptable failures, rather than grave ones, just how Caitlyn Diffley allowed for me.

    3. Embrace Criticism: I will request and embrace criticisms, input, and feedback from my subordinates. I will take their words and seriously consider them in order to give them a sense of ownership within the organization. They should feel responsible for the success of the team which comes from contributing to the greater good, being a part of decisions, and feeling valued.


References:

Thomas, G. (2015). The gift of time : how delegation can give you space to succeed (1st Ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

Whetton, D. A. & Cameron, K. S. (2016). Developing management skills (9th Ed.). Pearson.


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