Find the full transcript at yourfuturerealized.com/33.
Leading operations, you have considerable influence over your organization’s success. You’re orchestrating the flow across your company’s processes and every detail counts. Even small mistakes can cause problems that make big ripples.
This high-stakes environment can place a lot of pressure on your team. High expectations and constant tight deadlines can limit their creativity and willingness to try new things. It leaves too much on your shoulders.
But, you’re also in a prime position to make positive changes.
If you can start focusing less on controlling things, and more on empowering your team, you can build a culture of trust, and help them take full ownership of more responsibilities.
In this episode, I’ll reveal the clues that your team is operating with a strong sense of agency. I’ll also share three keys to empowering your ops team.
Leading operations, you have considerable influence over your organization’s success. You’re orchestrating the flow across your company’s processes and every detail counts. Even small mistakes can cause problems that make big ripples.
This high-stakes environment can place a lot of pressure on your team. High expectations and constant tight deadlines can limit their creativity and willingness to try new things. It leaves too much on your shoulders.
But, you’re also in a prime position to make positive changes.
If you can start focusing less on controlling things, and more on empowering your team, you can build a culture of trust, and help them take full ownership of more responsibilities.
In this episode, I’ll reveal the clues that your team is operating with a strong sense of agency. I’ll also share three keys to empowering your ops team.
Find the full transcript at yourfuturerealized.com/33.
Hey Ops Execs,
Understanding Team Empowerment: Key Metrics to Watch
So, what does it mean to empower your team? How do you even know if they’re feeling empowered or not?
Of course, it’s great to ask them and invite honest feedback! And o gauge whether you’re on the right path, there are also several key metrics that can serve as indicators of whether your team is empowered and engaged.
One way of knowing is by watching how much initiative-taking is going on. This might mean tracking how often team members propose new ideas or solutions without being asked.
When you see an increase in proactive behaviors—whether it's suggesting process improvements or developing new strategies—it's a good sign that your team members are feeling empowered. They know their voices are heard and valued, and that they have the authority to act.
Another important metric is decision-making speed. When your team members are empowered, decisions are made swiftly and confidently at the appropriate levels. By measuring how long it takes for a decision to go from inception to implementation, you can get a sense of whether your team members feel confident in their authority.
When your team gains control over their work, you'll notice a decrease in delays that are caused by uncertainty or second-guessing.
Finally, you can look at employee satisfaction scores, particularly those related to autonomy and personal impact. High scores in these areas usually indicate that team members appreciate their roles and feel trusted managing their responsibilities.
And if trust seems like an issue for your team, I recommend going back and listening to episode 17, ‘How to Build Psychological Safety on Your Ops Team’. You’ll find it at yourfuturerealized.com/17.
So, keep track of how quickly decisions are made, how often employees take initiative, and their satisfaction levels. These metrics are essential for ensuring everyone is empowered to drive the organization forward.
Now, wherever your starting point is, what can you actually do to empower your team?
Creating a Team Culture Where Ideas Thrive
There are many ways to approach empowering your team. And not every strategy is right for every ops leader, or for every team. But there are a few keys I’ve seen that are consistently successful. They are:
1. Delegate Strategically and Effectively Gain Control by Letting Go. It sounds paradoxical! But the truth is, strategic delegation is a powerful tool. Identify the strengths and passions of each team member and assign tasks that align with these. And be super clear about success metrics. This not only lightens your load but also leverages team members’ skills and increases their job satisfaction. Empowerment is about creating leaders, not followers. Making sure everyone is in the right lane is key to making sure they can excel without micromanagement.
2. Invest in Professional Development—Hire a Team Coach. One transformative approach is to bring in an external coach. A coach can provide your team with fresh perspectives and help them generate strategies that foster their own growth and resilience. A great team coach can help your team uncover hidden potentials and ignite a proactive mindset. Coaching can also help your team not just meet expectations but exceed them. An investment in coaching is a testament to your commitment to your team’s development and success.
3. Cultivate a Culture of Open Communication and Innovation. Create an environment where new ideas are not just welcomed but encouraged. The more your team can speak up and share their thoughts without fear of judgment or repercussion, the faster ideas can flow. Regular brainstorming sessions, open forums, and feedback mechanisms make a huge difference. When people feel heard and that there’s a place for their ideas, they’ll be more likely to jump in to innovating wholeheartedly.
Cultivating a Sustainable Culture of Empowerment
Empowerment is not a set-it-and-forget-it initiative. It requires ongoing focus. As an operations exec, you need to continually assess and adjust your strategies to ensure they stay effective and relevant.
This might mean regular training sessions, revisiting job roles, or adjusting team goals. It also means celebrating success along the way, to keep your team motivated and on track.
Today I’ll leave you with this question: What steps can you take today to begin decentralizing decision-making authority within your team?
You can’t stop the chaos, but you can change the game.