Three "E's" For Success!
Several years ago when I traveled and worked with organizations as a leadership developer and strategic-planning consultant, I developed a simple, three-step process to help teams and individuals break through to new levels in their relationships and effectiveness. I would like to share with you today what I called "E3" (for short) back then. The three levels of this development can easily be applied to your personal relationships, your staff, or any team you are a part of.
Here is an abbreviated version of the process. Check it out:
Step 1:
Encourage
As simple as it sounds, this is very difficult for some people and often overlooked by teams who are grinding it out on a day-to-day basis. Encouragement is one of the most powerful forces in the universe! Find new and creative ways to encourage people around you, for the little things and the big things. People's batteries recharge very quickly with encouragement, and creativity really flows in an environment of encouragement. This goes for friendships at school or in the Board room.
Who can you encourage today? Who needs a lift? When was the last time you took some time to strategically focus on investing in your team with encouragement? Go ahead...make it happen today!
Step 2:
Equip
Again, simple (but not necessarily "easy"). To "equip" someone, or a team, is to give them the tools and training necessary to win...to accomplish at the highest levels! A good example in my world right now is the Kickgen.com Street Team. The Street Team is growing and I am working on getting some tools in their hands so they can be successful in helping us get the word out about Kickgen.com at tournaments and other events successfully. The team could easily talk things up on their own, and people do a good job at spreading the word about Kickgen.com, but my responsibility is to make that happen in bigger, more organized ways (and have some fun too).
People want to be a part of what is important to them, and they need to know how to add value to their team or relationships. As friends and leaders we should always look for ways to get the right tools in people's "hands" so they can reach higher levels of accomplishment, whether it be in communicating better with a friend or family member or "getting the job done" at your martial arts school. Equipping people and teams is essential to success!
Step 3:
Empower
To empower someone is to prepare them effectively then release them to do whatever it is needs to be done in such a way that says, "Hey, I trust you. You can do this. This is your baby...now go get 'em and be successful!" One of the keys here is trust. When you empower someone you are communicating a significant level of trust in that person and his or her ability to "get it done". It also means that you have laid the groundwork necessary for that person to succeed.
For instance, if you ask a new Black Belt to teach new white belts, you are going to make sure they are capable and have sufficiently demonstrated the skill level necessary to accomplish that task. That means you have spent time in skill training, character and leadership development, and fully believe they are able to do everything you have asked them to do. Furthermore, you trust them with the delicate and important responsibility of training new students. Once all these key elements are in place, you ask them to step up...and you empower them... Oh, boy!!! Just step back and watch the excitement that ensues! There is nothing quite like seeing someone empowered to do what it is they passionately enjoy doing.
It then becomes your responsibility to coach them along the way and continue to raise the levels of expectation (carefully) so they can reach new heights in their newly empowered responsibility.
Now...here's what you have to nurture...
Each of these three steps must be fully complemented by the others. You cannot empower someone without equipping them, or else you will set them loose to figure it out on their own and that can lead to a sticky mess at best. You cannot equip someone without encouraging them, as then it simply becomes another job and the value of what you ask them to do goes way down and they will lose their passion to serve. You cannot equip someone without soon thereafter empowering them, as that would be like giving someone a water hose and then asking them to go stand in the middle of the desert by themselves. People need to be able to use what you give them.
I think you get the point. Each of these steps is dependent and thrives on the whole of the others.
So, who needs to be encouraged today? Equipped? Empowered?
Now is as good a time as ever to invest in someone's life, or in the life of your team...go get 'em, you can do this! I empower you :)
Have An Extraordinary Day!
Doug McGannon
Kickgen.com username: KGDoug
QuestForTheUSOpen.blogspot.com
Follow Doug on Twitter!
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