Empowered?

I used to become a bit annoyed by the way people would throw around the word
"empowerment" and how often the services of an organization or products of a corporation were touted as able or existing to or empower others.

In my time as as an executive manager and then a CEO; when people would tell me how great the work we did was, I would humbly say "thank you" and boldly tell them that that those that came to us were already empowered and in fact born that way. A product or a service can only awaken and even encourage in us that which is already within. Empowerment is about will and those of us who are aware of the will of others supporting it.

Those seeking empowerment must be humble, trustworthy and pliant. A must - have is respect for time, place, intellect and experience of others. When someone attempts to share a knowledge store and especially when they are willing to meet us where we are as well as invite us in to their circles of influence, we must react with a sense of urgency!

Mentors and consultants alike who deliver services and strategies in particular, should be handled with grace. It is important that nothing is too lax, because the unleashing of power for impact cannot be taken lightly. Respecting their time is crucial and treating the experience like a once in a lifetime opportunity helps make the relationship with that person memorable and truly remarkable and it is likely to develop into a long-term partnership.

I fully believe that in many cases none of us truly arrives until the last of us gets there and so I try to support the empowerment of others wherever the chance
is available that truly allows me to leverage my good spirit and professional expertise.

Empowerment is about a person of particular experience, knowledge and sometimes with greater access and/or a higher social stature pushing for the arrival of another person to their better self while helping them to accomplish what some may regard as impossible. My father calls the ability to hold on to what others cannot imagine (like a ring of water), "Power." The drive towards empowering others is extremely difficult as some people come across as if they don't want to get there. Some treat the opportunity as if it is a passing thought and do not manage to their refinement with seriousness or professionalism

Be it an employee, young person who is in need of a mentor, empowering another person is about providing the latitude and access to information and skill that will allow them to deliver superior results to their customers, in their own lives, and communities. It starts with telling each person the truth, showing up without excuses, setting priorities and expecting that each person will respond truthfully in order to grow, develop and unleash their power and ultimately win.

When a person is given permission,access, time and opportunity to unleash the power that they already have and they do not act on it in a timely,gracious,thoughtful and eager...that is when empowerment fails.

Staying empowered is like holding on to a ring of water. Your mindset that it can be done coupled with like minds that believe the same is what makes it all happen.

--- Adrienne A. Wallace

"If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want one hundred years of prosperity, grow people!"
(Chinese Proverb)