The Messiness of Empowering People (And Why It’s Worth It)
I have to compound the word again: Empowerment. Great in theory, but can get really messy in practice. As leaders, we love the idea of empowering our teams—until something goes wrong. And trust me, things will go wrong. Projects get derailed, mistakes are made, and you might even start wondering if empowering people is worth the chaos it sometimes brings.
But here’s the thing: it absolutely is. Because while empowerment can get messy, it’s that very messiness that leads to growth, ownership, and innovation. When you create a culture of empowerment, you’re giving your team the space to take risks, learn from mistakes, and ultimately come out stronger on the other side.
In this post, we’re going to dive into why empowering people is a beautiful mess and how you can embrace it using the Insight-to-Impact Loop.
Insight: The Inevitable Messiness of Empowerment
For real though—empowerment is not a clean, linear process. It’s messy because people are messy. When you empower your team, you’re giving them freedom, and with that freedom comes the opportunity to make mistakes. Some leaders shy away from empowerment because of this very reason—they want to avoid the chaos. But here’s the insight: that chaos is exactly where the magic happens.
At one point in my career, I was working with a team that was insanely talented, but hesitant to take risks. Why? Because they didn’t feel empowered to do so. They were waiting for direction, for permission to push boundaries. I realized that if I wanted this team to reach its full potential, I had to let go of the need for perfection and embrace the inevitable mistakes that would come with true empowerment.
This was my A-ha! moment: Empowerment is inherently messy, but that’s where growth and innovation live.
Impact: So What Does This Mean for You and Your Team?
The next step in the Insight-to-Impact Loop is asking So what? What does this messiness mean for you as a leader and for your team?
Here’s the answer: it means you need to get comfortable with things not going according to plan. Empowerment doesn’t mean everything will be perfect—it means people will grow through their experiences, both good and bad. For your team, the impact of empowerment is twofold:
Ownership and Accountability: When you empower your team, you give them ownership over their work. This means they not only take responsibility for the wins, but also for the mistakes. And it’s in those mistakes that real learning happens and that’s the fun part..
Innovation Through Trial and Error: Empowerment fosters an environment where it’s okay to fail. And when people feel safe to fail, they’re more likely to take the kind of creative and calculated risks that lead to breakthroughs. So yes, there will be messiness, but that mess is the price of innovation.
Empowering your team means embracing both the highs and the lows. It’s about seeing mistakes as stepping stones rather than roadblocks.
Action: Now What? Embrace the Mess and Move Forward
Now that you understand the impact of empowering your team, it’s time to ask Now what? How do you embrace this messiness and use it to drive your team forward?
Here’s what has worked for me and can work for you too:
Set Clear Expectations: Empowerment doesn’t mean letting go of structure. You still need to set clear expectations so your team knows what success looks like. Freedom comes in how they achieve it.
Encourage Risk-Taking (and Failures): Make it known that mistakes are not only accepted, but encouraged as part of the growth process. When your team knows that failure won’t be punished, they’ll be more willing to take the risks that lead to big wins.
Be There as a Guide, Not a Micromanager: Empowerment isn’t about abandoning your team—it’s about supporting them in a way that allows them to lead. Check in regularly, provide feedback, but don’t hover. Give them the space to own their process.
Celebrate the Messy Wins: Progress isn’t always clean and tidy, but it’s still progress. Celebrate the small wins, especially when they come after a challenge or a mistake. This reinforces the value of empowerment and keeps your team motivated.
By embracing the messiness that comes with empowerment, you’re not only building a stronger, more resilient team—you’re also setting the stage for long-term innovation and success.
Is Your Team Ready for Empowerment? So, where do you stand on empowerment? Are you ready to embrace the chaos that comes with it, or are you still clinging to control? Drop a comment below and let’s discuss how you can use the Insight-to-Impact Loop to empower your team, mess and all.
Empowerment begins with how you lead. Learn how to build a culture of ownership and trust in Empowerment Starts with Leadership, and see how the Insight-to-Impact Loop can help you do just that.