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Definition
Delegation and Motivation
How a leader empowers others
Activities similar to Empowerment
Mistakes

Definition
Empowerment is the art of inspiring another person. The challenge here is to learn how to empower yourself-giving yourself permission to "be all that you can be." Empowerment isn't just bravado: it involves responsibility as well as vision. It means believing in yourself and taking actions on your own behalf. For nurses, empowerment is recognizing your own skill level and practicing your skills toward the betterment of patients. It means allowing yourself to be mindful and thoughtful about your work. It is the recognition that you became a nurse to provide "hands on" care for patients. How easy it is to look at empowerment from the perspective of what you or your colleagues are not doing well. Instead, personal empowerment is an opportunity to know who you are, what you are doing and what you need to do. It is within the context of personal empowerment that we often find information about ourselves-what we excel at doing and where we need to improve.

Empowerment, Delegation, and Motivation
Both empowerment and delegation give away something. Empowerment, in fact, can be the dispersing of power or authority. The key feature of empowerment is the concept of responsibility. Nurses can empower their colleagues to learn a new technique, for example, but knowing how to apply the technique in the proper circumstances and towards the correct goal is critical. Just teaching someone or giving away authority is not empowerment. Helping a person (or yourself) rise to a new level of understanding or proficiency is what empowerment is all about.

Motivation is the energy we bring to a learning experience. It is the incentive to change; the stimulus to move ahead. Motivation is the drive or enthusiasm that moves one along the learning continuum. Positive motivation enables successful empowerment.

How do leaders empower employees/staff/teams?
Leaders empower staff by giving them the tools they need to do a good job. For example, a good nursing leader keeps her staff informed about innovations, techniques or educational opportunities. She advises her team about CEU opportunities, in-service educational offerings, or she brings in speakers to address specific concerns of the team. She enables her staff to participate in an enriching experience.

Other techniques and behaviors similar to empowerment
Empowerment differs from teaching because the leader does not necessarily have the particular expertise to provide the educational experience herself. In coaching, the leader provides a one-on-one experience that helps the staff member decide what he needs for himself. Role modeling is a behavior in which leaders emulate the desired behavior. Goal setting is a technique that leaders utilize to demonstrate measurable methods of attainment.

Making Mistakes
Leaders, if they are comfortable in their own skin, will guide their staffs towards a goal-albeit personal or job-related. This is a process, not an event. During the course of action, mistakes are bound to happen. It's inevitable and should be anticipated. The hallmark of a good leader is how one handles mistakes. Acting out in retribution is the last thing a leader wants to do. Getting information on how the mistake happened, who was involved, and the estimate of damage done is a better path to take. Mistakes are often opportunities for learning. Mistakes give invaluable data. A good leader acknowledges the mistake, learns about its component parts, and takes action to correct it in the future. While mistakes can cause an emotional reaction in a leader, communicating those emotions serve no one. Instead, moving away from the reaction and using it as a teaching experience will go further than an inappropriate outburst. Another reaction leaders often have is to take away the delegated privilege. While some adjustments may be necessary, reacting to a mistake is always a bad idea. Leaders need time to understand, reflect, and decide the best course of action.

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Creative Commons LicenseThis learning activity was developed by Kate Malliarakis, NP, in collaboration with Partnerships for Training, an Association of Academic Health Centers program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.