Empowerment 5 ~ Empowered Individuals

Empowerment 5 ~ Empowered Individuals

This is the final piece in the jigsaw where we will briefly look at “Empowered Individuals”.

The Empowerment (Trust) Matrix

Low trust       Entrenched in Bunkers          Caged Eagles

High trust       Flying Blind                            Empowered Individuals

                  Low Enablement                 High Enablement

The goal of all organisations/churches and its leaders should be to get as many people as possible into the empowered performer category ~ the lower right quadrant. 

The message is obvious for those who want to build an empowered organisation/church: reduce the number of people who are entrenched in bunkers, flying blind or caged eagles.  Increase the numbers who are fully trusted (EMPOWERED).

Oxford dictionary ~ Empowered

• give (someone) the authority or power to do something
• enable someone stronger and more confident

Strong’s

·      from strong’s 1743  (dunamoo); to empower :- enable, (increase in) strength (-en), be (make) strong

·         from strong’s 2901  the Greek krataios meaning to empower

“Empowerment”

Refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social, educational or economic strength of individuals and communities.

Biblical reference: Luke 10 v 1-16

Read and absorb what Jesus did, he briefed fully the 70; he told them what to do, what to expect there were no surprises. Jesus communicated effectively and efficiently releasing every person in to being who they can be in Christ.

How effective was Jesus in empowering all 70 read verse 17, look at how they returned.  That is true empowerment, how empowered are your leaders, team leaders and members of the church?

To enable individuals to fulfil their purpose for God, I believe they should be free, free from self doubt, self limiting beliefs and most of all free to be who they can be in Christ.

Finally empowerment includes seven capabilities or similar:-

1.     Ability to consider a range of options from which to choose (not just yes/no, either/or.)

2.     Ability to exercise assertiveness in collective decision making

3.     Setting people free to Be Who You (They) Can Be in Christ

4.     Having positive-thinking about the ability to make change

5.     The ability to make decisions about personal/collective circumstances

6.     The ability to access information and resources for decision-making

7.     Ability to learn and access skills for improving personal/collective circumstance

I have underlined the first four as amongst other areas these are covered in our empowerment programme ‘Be Who You Can Be in Christ’. Follow the link and if your church would like our ministry to teach empowerment, confidence, assertiveness, remove self doubt and self limiting beliefs, please contact to discuss.

On behalf of our Ministry we wish you all a joyous Christmas and a blessed 2012 and we look forward to sharing more in the forth coming year.

www.bewhoyoucanbeinchrist.com 

Empowerment 4 ~ Flying Blind

Empowerment 4 ~ Flying Blind

Moving on “Empowerment (Trust) Matrix quadrant “caged eagles”, this session we will briefly look at “flying blind”.

The Empowerment (Trust) Matrix

Low trust                      Entrenched in Bunkers         Caged Eagles

High trust                    Flying Blind                    Empowered Individuals

                                    Low Enablement                       High Enablement

Oxford dictionary ~ Blind

Lacking perception, awareness, or judgement: a blind acceptance of the status quo he/she was blind to the realities of his/her position

·         not controlled by reason: they left in blind panic

·         not governed by purpose :a world of blind chance

“Flying Blind”

This works two ways firstly we can extend too much trust – blind trust – to others, but do not enable them, creating the “flying blind” (lower-left quadrant) and secondly there are those with all good intentions go off don’t seek advice nor receive advice and fly blindly on, I have seen this too many times.

Here’s how the first instance can happen.  For example let us say that the church/organisation has set up a new department or the church/organisation has work to do that individuals are not really ready to handle.  These individuals do not have the skills or expertise yet and the church/organisation (or leader) gives an instruction, due to the lack of good questioning, coaching or mentoring they are left alone and start to make small then bigger mistakes. 

Secondly, those that go off on their own, often give the impression of a ‘can do’ attitude, their appearance suggests they are competent or they have that adorable good nature and willingness to help.  Once again through poor communications, coaching or mentoring these individuals go off flying blind and hoping for the best (at some point in the future I will discuss ‘Who Moved My Cheese’ which highlights this second characteristic effectively).

To make matters worse, what I see more often today is the flying blind get the blame, leaders are often too impatient, don’t fully explain what they would like and want now results, thus the flying blind get marginalised and never ever become empowered.

Room for improvement, how?

Any leader who is worth their salt before issuing any instructions ought to employ good questioning techniques and or coaching/mentoring.  More than often it is time that dictates how effective we are those leaders who stop time for individuals will bring out the best in people. 

The question now is how many leaders at whatever level are good coaches/mentors?

Reflective view:~ I was discussing the merits of 1-2-1 coaching to a church leader some time ago who was looking to engage me in coaching them on a 1-2-1 basis to help improve their overall leadership skills.  I asked one very simple question “why do you think you need coaching”? The reply after a while was very simple “I don’t, I’m good enough”.  With that response I gathered the person was not teachable and the conversation ebbed away and I have observed from a distance mistakes that have had consequences for individuals and the church.

A leader who is not teachable is not a leader at all, but follows a autocratic style of leadership and in the end is a positional leader not a relational leader who will balance task, team and individual to bring out the best in people and enhance the church.

www.bewhoyoucanbeinchrist.com