“You cannot give what you do not have”, John C. Maxwell
“Empowerment” is not a tangible thing. It is a personal “feeling” that only exists within you. You will choose how you “feel” by the how you are being treated (the words and actions of the people around you). Feeling empowered is something you choose. Understanding what influences that choice to “feel empowered” is what this book is all about.
Your words and actions are what will “empower” others. Choose them wisely.
This is not a self-help book. It will give you practical communication skills that will help you “Influence” other people. How you use this skill will determine whether you “empower” people or “destroy” the people you want to “Influence”.
This book can be used by every human being both personally and professionally. By understanding the content of this book, you can then choose to feel “empowered” yourself and whether you will choose to “empower” others.
However, I have designed it for Executives, Managers and Supervisors as a “People Skills” reference handbook. It is intended to give you:
- An understanding of your employee’s “needs motivations and behaviours”.
- The communication tools & strategies that will help you influence your employee’s.
Every person in the world has exactly the same “Five Basic Needs”, how each person meets those needs will be different. Awareness is the first step to understanding people (including yourself and your employees).
The chapters describing the “Five Basic Needs” will give you the following things:
1. A description of each need and how it drives a person’s feelings, their motivation and behaviour.
2. An understanding of how “Empowerment” works.
3. A process to “influence” your employee’s feeling of “Empowerment” by encouraging them to meet their own needs.
4. A feeling of “Empowerment” for yourself through understanding and a practical communication process.
The next step is to learn and practice the communication tools & strategies that will help you influence your employees. This is an integration process that will take time, effort and energy to absorb, learn and live. Keep this book handy and re-read the chapter on “Five Basic Needs” every once in a while. It will re-fresh your understanding of your employees and yourself.
“Empowerment” is not just a once off effort. It demands conscious effort every hour of every day with every employee. This will require a significant change in your attitude, motivation and even life style. You cannot encourage “Empowerment” one day and not the next.
If and when you begin to practice and live “Empowerment” your life will be changed forever. So will your employees lives, because you will become their Role Model, their Mentor and their Coach.
“Empowerment” is a gift that is yours to give. It is your choice of how you treat people. It is also a gift that you can unknowingly withhold. Either way, your employees are smart enough to figure out which you normally do. It is extremely important to understand the benefits to you and your staff, of “Empowerment”. It is equally as important to understand what withholding “Empowerment” will do to employee morale and productivity, not to mention your own credibility.
An “Empowering” attitude is a powerful thing. This is what you can give to others.
Are you ready for this?
