Empowerment. case study

The need for Empowerment arises in a medium-sized productive company, where Mr. Marvin Pitts was the protagonist in his effort to bring the company to be one of the most productive and to increase these feelings of triumph in the minds of employees, a task Logically difficult for those who do not have the basis for how to act so that employees feel empowered to make decisions and contribute ideas that are continually improving.

Marvin had taken over General Management and had a good reputation for himself in this position, leading him to believe that "lack of leadership at the top was generally the cause of a company's problems" and, incidentally, He realized that "the way of thinking that led you to success in the past is not the one that led you to success in the future."

A business consultant did a study that found that the business world had changed so quickly that a manager could no longer think of everything on his own. The board of directors had insisted Marvin to hire that consultant, but since Marvin is the person who does not like to ask for help, but, in extreme cases, bacillus before doing so until he made up his mind, such a surprise was when he discovered that This consultant was only a woman, he felt disappointed, but he had no other way to go on.

The empowering manager was Mrs. Sandy Fitzwilliam, manager of a textile manufacturing and distribution company, this manager had had extraordinary success in empowering her staff. Marvin explained to Sandy that the company had been modernized, but employees refused to take initiative. Sandy, through examples, explained that it is not the employees' fault, but the manager who did nothing to make the employees feel like owners of the business.

At the same time, he explained that empowering is not empowering people, people already have enough power for their knowledge, we empower employees to release that power. "Empowering carries with it a basic sense of ownership" and begins with the top management belief system. Most companies are organized to catch people doing things wrong, not to reward them for doing things right.

Empowering is an issue that starts at the top and is value driven, unless empowering starts at the top it will not go anywhere.

The role of a empowering manager is to coordinate efforts, acquire resources, do strategic planning, work with clients, train staff, and the like. Everything that is done is aimed at helping employees become more efficient.

A company must be:

1. Customer oriented

The sophistication of today's consumers and the variety of products available, any organization that is not sensitive to the wishes and needs of customers, was considered second-class and destined to disappear from the business world.

2. Cost efficient

Cost increases coupled with dire price battles have forced many companies to cut their margins to a fraction of what they have been before and have to do much more with much less in order to survive.

3. Fast and flexible

In what they take to go up and down the decisions by the hierarchies, the client gets tired and leaves. The client does not care who the manager is, only that they solve the problem, and the less time and employees intervene the better.

4. Continuously improve

Everyone in the company must accept the fact that the company will be better today than yesterday and tomorrow better than today. Empowered employees make a company better and on track for continuous and permanent improvement.

Sandy told Marvin that they would undertake a long journey to the country of the faculties where he would learn mainly with the colleagues (employees) of his company who were already empowered.

In the billing department I speak with Mr. Robert Borders, the young man explained to marvin that empowering takes time, because employees are asked to accept something they do not know, they have no experience and much less have they been given powers. But then they feel like owners and they feel empowered.

1. The first key is to share information with everyone

Old hierarchical boss-to-junior organizations are not very helpful in business organizations, it all depends on teamwork.

When the information is withheld, everyone begins to make all kinds of ruminations and conjectures and, on the contrary, there is no better way to demonstrate that if they are trusted, than to share with them the delicate information, "those who lack information cannot act responsibly, those with information are forced to act responsibly »

The second person Marvin spoke to was Mrs. Jane Wo from the production area.

2. The second key is to create autonomy across borders.

This means that individuals have to learn new ways of working and thinking together. An analogy of this is that in the days of horse carriages a peasant took the reins of the animal's neck and allowed it to lead him to his home. This was fine because the horse knew the way. But it was one thing he didn't do when he set out on a new path.

This means that without guidelines to guide employees fall back to their old habits when they are not empowered. Borders have the ability to channel energy in a certain direction.

Border areas that create autonomy

• Purpose, what business are you in?

• Values, what are your operational guidelines?

• Image, what is your vision of the future?

• Goals what, when, where, and how do you do what you do?

• Roles, who does each thing?

• Organizational structure and systems, how do you support what you want to do?

All the aforementioned structures cannot be created at the same time, but must be carried out to the extent that they are needed.

Companies must chart a compelling vision that must be created by senior management. A compelling vision encompasses the first three boundary areas of the aforementioned list, as they emotionally or intellectually captivate members of the organization and crystallize their needs, desires, values, and beliefs. The way to create a compelling vision is to paint a picture of the future.

Create autonomy across borders

• Based on shared information

• Clarifies the vision

• Helps translate vision into roles and goals

• Define values and rules that support the desired actions

• Develops structures and procedures that empower people

• They remind us that it is a trip.

The third person Marvin spoke with was Billy Abrams from customer service.

3. The third key is to replace the hierarchy with self-directed teams.

A self-directed team has a group of employees who are responsible for an entire product process. They plan, execute and direct the work from start to finish.

Empowering comes from teaching other things they can do to become less dependent on us.

Replace hierarchy with self-directed teams:

• Empowered teams can do more than empowered individuals.

• Employees don't start by knowing how to work as a team

• Dissatisfaction is a natural step in the process

• Everyone has to train in team skills

• Commitment and support have to come from the top

• Teams with information and skill can replace the old hierarchy.

Empowerment in the dispatch department.

Give people information to act, then wait for the magic to happen. Once information is shared and trust begins to develop, high standards can be set. You can talk about closing the gaps between what is happening today from the point of view of costs, profits and so on, which is possible tomorrow, and makes sense to everyone.

Every "Herror" is an opportunity to increase performance. People cannot innovate while busy trying to protect themselves. On the other hand, permission to take risks, to make mistakes and to question the way things have been done in the past, gives employees the freedom to learn and to use their talent.

The new frontiers help everyone learn to act responsibly and autonomously. Being empowered means that one is free to act; it also means that one is responsible for the others.