Empowering Your Staff Doesn’t Work. Here’s What Does.

There was a time when I managed some individuals who weren’t particularly independent. They were talented, no doubt, but hesitant to take action without my input. My solution? Empower them. Or so I thought.

I’d say things like, You’re empowered! Make the call! Take charge! But it never worked the way I hoped. They’d start a task, get partway through, and then ask for clarification—or worse, look for my approval. Frustrated, I found myself micromanaging to ensure things were done correctly. The cycle repeated endlessly: empowering them in words, controlling them in actions.

It took me a while to see what I was doing. By telling them they were empowered, I was reinforcing my position as the one with the power to give. I wasn’t lifting them up—I was holding them back by making them dependent on my permission.

From Empowerment to Emancipation ¶

The turning point came when I realized my job wasn’t to empower them. It was to emancipate them.

Emancipation is different. It means seeing their potential and creating an environment where they no longer rely on you. It’s about believing in their ability to solve problems, take ownership, and even make mistakes without your constant oversight.

Here’s the key shift: as a leader, your role is not to make the team perform better in the short term. It’s to improve their capabilities to perform better in the long term. Emancipation is about building confidence and independence.

How to Build Emancipated Staff ¶

If you’re ready to stop empowering and start emancipating, here’s one concrete thing you can try tomorrow (or Monday): Let Them Own the Decision.

The next time someone asks for your input, try this:

1. Pause and listen to their question.
2. Instead of giving your advice, ask open-ended coaching questions like, What are your options? or What outcome are you aiming for?
3. Help them reflect by asking, What would success look like? or What’s the best way to test your idea?

Then, let them take responsibility for the choice—and follow through.

It sounds simple, but it’s transformative. You might wince if they choose a path you wouldn’t have, but remember: the goal isn’t perfection. It’s to help them grow through their own experiences.

If their decision doesn’t work out, avoid jumping in to fix it. Instead, debrief together using more coaching techniques: What worked well in your approach? What would you try differently next time? Let them lead the reflection.

Why This Matters ¶

As David Marquet explains in Turn the Ship Around!, truly emancipated staff operates independently because they own their authority and accountability. The leader’s role is to foster the systems and culture that make this possible.

So I want you to leave with a new word in your leadership vocabulary: emancipated. Think about what that means in your world. Start small. Let them make one decision without you.

And then let go of the control. That’s where real growth starts — for you!

PS: This has nothing to do with Marty Cagan’s concept of empowered product teams — I am fully behind that approach. My focus here is on the everyday use of the word “empowering” for individuals. It can be limiting when we could be aiming for something more significant: emancipation.