Empower Others and Help Them Believe in Themselves – Courageous Communicator Quest Challenge 13

You made it! From the last Challenge – Give Others Feedback and Be Open to Input – how did your employees respond to your feedback? Were you open to their feedback as well? Effective feedback is a powerful learning experience for everyone involved. When done well, it can only move us forward. 

Your final Challenge awaits. Empowering others is one of the greatest gifts you can give your employees as a leader. It fosters innovation, increases employee engagement, and is essential to any progressive organization’s long-term success. 

Challenge 13: Empower Others and Help Them Believe in Themselves 

The Myth 

Great leaders know that employees can’t handle the truth—and that it’s important to protect them from too much knowledge. 

The Truth 

You’ve seen those Public Service Announcements that end with “The more you know…” Sure, there will always be people who want to believe that ignorance is bliss, however the fact is that in most cases, knowledge is power. In other cases, employees want to know everything that’s going on. That’s impossible to accomplish and is also an unrealistic expectation. As a leader, it’s in your control to empower your team with important information that can help them feel more responsible, better able to make essential decisions, and more confident that they can trust in their own competence (rather than constantly needing reassurance or approval from superiors). 

The result is more effective teams and employees that free your time to do what you should be doing: Leading. 

The Courageous Communicator Challenge 

Think of any non-confidential information that you are withholding from your team. Instead, empower them by sharing:

a) what you know and
b) what you don’t know.

With that in mind here are 2 other common situations that should prompt you to communicate with your team: 

1. When there is any work- or job-focused information designed to help employees perform and do their jobs well.

2. When there is information that builds pride and morale or is important to help get out the organization’s story. Employees can take this information and advocate on behalf of the organization as brand ambassadors.

Then begin a dialogue with your team about the information and how to understand it. 

And now…

Congratulations, Courageous Communicator! You’ve come a long way...

Oddly enough, though you should be tired, you’re not. It’s like you have a new lease

on life, a special spring in your step, and you’re ready to set the world on fire. Whereas before being in charge often felt like an uphill battle, now you’re comfortable with and inspired by the possibilities of leadership. Your sights are set on what you can accomplish. You’re discovering that you now have the ability to inspire individuals and teams to new heights. You’re seeing what your vision looks like in action. You’re finding

that employees—and your peers—look at you with a new respect and appreciation. 

It’s a funny thing… You’ve ended your Quest and earned the right to rest on your laurels—to sit back, relax, and take a little time for yourself—but you don’t want to. There’s just so much great leading to do... 

What are the biggest things you’ve learned about yourself as a leader? 

—David Grossman

If you are just joining us in our Courageous Communicator Quest Challenge, take a moment to start from the beginning here.

Refer back to previous challenges here:

• Challenge 1 – Know Your Authentic Self
• Challenge 2 – Become Self Aware (Walk the Talk)
• Challenge 3 – Disclose Yourself to Others
• Challenge 4 – Stay True to Yourself Under Pressure (Integrity)
• Challenge 5 – Develop an Accurate Picture of the Business
• Challenge 6 – Envision the Future
• Challenge 7 – Plan Your Communication
• Challenge 8 – Embrace Kindness and Caring
• Challenge 9 – Create an Emotional Connection
• Challenge 10 – Understand Others & Listen Empathetically
• Challenge 11 – Create Dialogue That Makes a Difference
• Challenge 12 – Give Others Feedback and Be Open to Input

Download this eBook to access messaging secrets on how to connect and communicate with your team: