Culture drives results on countless key performance indicators employee engagement, project deliverables, quality work, efficiency, and profitability, to name a few. Culture also impacts the immeasurable but essential criteria of organizational health, such as effective leadership, communications, accountability, and adaptability. With so many levers to pull, which ones should you focus on to create organizational resiliency?
I invite you to consider the combined impact of inspiration and empowerment. When our careers and our cultures are infused with inspiration and invite empowerment, our work becomes more focused and more joyful. That’s not to say there aren’t still challenges and frustrations, but they are framed through a lens of possibility and efficacy.
Inspiration ignites creativity, innovation, and action. It feels good to be inspired to do great work! It is both an emotional and intellectual state that sparks enthusiasm and determination. It can be the energy that makes the difference in stopping at the first encountered obstacle or finding a creative way through it.
Empowerment is a magical force of energy in a workplace. Autonomy allows decisions to be made by people with a front-line perspective. It translates to accountability and excitement for one’s capacity to impact. It is a sign of trust and respect.
Go to the source
Think about the last time you felt the spark of inspiration. What caused you to feel that way? When you can identify the source of that energy, you can help create the conditions for it to exist.
Recently I was on a call with a new client where we discovered several shared philosophies, energizing us both and affirming our connection. On another call I helped a client connect to what was unique about her firm. She later shared that she brought this new perspective to her team and collectively they felt recharged for their business development pursuits. I was excited to illuminate a strength and to collaborate with talented professionals. The emotional wake of both conversations brought forward momentum and a desire to tap into latent potential.
Don’t wait for inspiration to strike
Accomplished writers will tell you they don’t wait for the strike of the proverbial inspirational lightning bolt to begin writing. They spend countless hours honing the craft reading, researching, exploring prompts, writing less-than-stellar material, until the words take shape, and the story emerges. Creativity isn’t just for the obvious professionals musicians, artists, writers, or designers. When properly inspired, all humans have the capacity to be creative in problem-solving. The key is to tap into what matters to you and your team and to embrace the responsibility of the task with focus and discipline.
Vision, mission, and value-driven organizations have a more readily identifiable sense of purpose, direction, and ethos. Tapping into the why we are here and how we want to make an impact can be a powerful way to generate camaraderie and motivation.
In a conversation with a recently retired craftworker, it became clear that he was struggling with a lack of purpose. While he was still active in several facets of his life, he wasn’t feeling inspired. Armed with this insight, he is now reimagining what his purpose is in his “third act.”
Authenticity inspires. New Seasons Market is the world’s first certified B Corp grocer with a mission to “honor local farmers, ranchers and makers, and help them, our community, and the environment prosper.” Stocked on their shelves you will find a plethora of organic, locally sourced foods. The company espouses that it offers a progressive workplace as well as industry-leading pay, benefits, and professional development. In other words, New Seasons’ brand is an inside-out job! As a shopper, I experience the promised genuine friendliness, good vibes among co-workers, and trusted expertise that keeps me coming back.
Don’t wait to be told you are empowered
In a recent interview with a new director, he noted the ambiguity he faced in navigating his role. In conversations with his chief operating officer, it was apparent that she wanted him to embrace the autonomy he was being afforded to drive results. He realized he was seeking more explicit permission while she thought it was implicit in the role. We zoomed out to connect his responsibilities with the firm’s vision, mission, and values and he began to see how he could take the lead and own the outcomes. He confessed that feeling empowered was both exhilarating and daunting. I reminded him that it was a surefire way to know he was in the growth zone!
A clear vision can be both a source of inspiration and a framework for empowerment a north star in alignment and in guiding autonomous work. It also offers common ground, making it a valuable framework for navigating difficult topics and making tough decisions.
Signs of sabotage
We all want to work in inspiring and empowered workplaces. Yet we may be sabotaging our best intentions. Notice if your organization suffers from micromanagement, being dismissive of new ideas or different perspectives, or not giving proper credit or acknowledgment. These could be telltale signs of deficiencies to rectify.
What can you do?
- Help connect the dots. When there is an arduous task or daunting uncertainty, frame the challenge in the context of your vision and common goal.
- Know what inspires and create conditions for it.
- Make empowerment explicit and reward accordingly.
“The future is completely open, and we are writing it moment to moment.” Pema Chodron
May your future be filled with inspiration and empowerment that fuels great work!
Karen Natzel is a business therapist who helps leaders create healthy, vibrant and high-performing organizations. Contact her at 503-806-4361 or karen@natzel.net . The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed in the preceding commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Daily Journal of Commerce or its editors. Neither the author nor the DJC guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein. Copyright © 2024 BridgeTower Media. All Rights Reserved.
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