Empowerment of People – A Must Do For Leaders

Empowerment of People Is Crucial For Any Leader To Follow

I am currently reading John C. Maxwell’s book The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership.  I have liked the book for the most part and just finished the chapter on empowerment of people.  Both from my ongoing relentless research on leadership and my experience I know one thing for sure.  Leaders who utilize the empowerment of people method drastically excel and advance in their careers than those who cut people down at every turn.  A great case study on this is found in The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership as well detailing the times of Henry Ford, and Henry Ford II.  Lets get into the empowerment of people, why the Ford’s were horrible at it, and how you can ensure you are using the empowerment of people method that will have a long lasting impact on those who you lead.

Why The Empowerment Of People Is Vital For Leaders

If a leader never applies the empowerment of people method they will isolate themselves and deplete the level of trust that other people place in them.  Think about it for a second.  If someone was to always cut you down when you are trying to reach your potential and grow would you trust them?  Furthermore, would you want to work for them, be around them, give it your all?  I hope the answer is clear.

If a person or leader drastically violates the empowerment of people method they in turn will deplete others trust, destroy their credibility, be a wound for others, and so much more.  I can’t stress enough the importance of Emotional Intelligence and how vital it is for a leader to succeed.  Leaders who violate the empowerment of people method are those who are insecure, do not trust themselves, and ultimately feel they need the attention and praise that others deserve.

It amazes me that Henry Ford, the man who invented the Model T, who revolutionized the auto industry in America was this type of person.  Lets see how Henry Ford dealt with the empowerment of people method.

Why Henry Ford Never “Got It” When It Came To The Empowerment Of People Method

Looking outside the drastic love affair Henry Ford had with the Model T, his dealings with his management team were far more interesting to me.  Henry Ford operated with his own empowerment of people method.  He would tare down his executives to the point of them leaving.  Essentially all of his top executives left because at every turn, Henry Ford drastically violated the empowerment of people method.  He even undermined and did the same thing to his son Edsel until Edsel passed away at an early age.   What was the end result?  The Ford company began to lose $1 million a day and had not made a profit in 15 years!

The time had come for Henry Ford to step aside, his grandson, Henry Ford II left the Navy to help turn Ford around.  He sought after top executives from other companies and brought them in.  By doing this and giving them autonomy, The Ford Motor Company quickly began to see results and turn profits.  By all accounts it would seem that young Henry had very much effectively used the empowerment of people method.  But there is another side of the story.

Young Henry was insecure, his executive team were well seasoned executives that got results.  His insecurity grew and he began to act like his grandfather.  He would create rivalries between his executives to the point that they left.  All of this was a protective measure to ensure that he would not be over thrown.  He began with the right idea, but ended with chopping people down.

Lee Iacocca former President of Ford put it this way, “Henry Ford, as I would learn firsthand, had a nasty habit of getting rid of strong leaders.”

Closing Thoughts On Empowerment of People

I hope that it is obvious by now that if you tare people down, limit their growth, they will leave and lose trust in you. Leaders who do not utilize the empowerment of people method need to not lead.  Yes I said that, they need to do something else.  Here is why, if you take a step back and look at leadership it is ultimately not about increasing profits, it is not about increasing stock prices, getting the golden parachute, and gaining a title.

Leadership is about the legacy you leave behind.  How you enriched the lives of those that you lead.  Leadership is a profession,  and in the end people will remember you for your character, your actions, what you did for them, and how you lead them to their potential.  So if you are a leader who tares down a rising star, or are working for one its time to come to reality.  Leaders of all walks of life have a duty to fully utilize the empowerment of people method fully

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