Is it possible for a leader to empower followers while retaining ownership of a project or idea? Why or why not? Do empowerment and ownership promote organizational trust? Why or why not?
answer
Yes, a leader can empower followers while still maintaining control over a project or idea. This can be accomplished by allocating tasks that are important to the project but are unrelated to the leader’s priorities or function. If a leader is in charge of a new product launch, for example, they can delegate everything from customer reviews to visuals to their team while they handle the actual launch plan and execution. In this approach, they empower their staff while maintaining control over their ideas and ultimate strategy.
Because employees have reason to distrust their leaders, empowerment and ownership do not build organizational trust. When a team is assigned essential duties to accomplish an overarching goal, but is routinely ignored when it comes time to make big-picture decisions, tension arises between management and employees. Furthermore, taking responsibility for something that goes wrong because of poor preparation or communication on the part of a leader—rather than admitting fault—increases stress.
question
Is it possible for a leader to empower followers while retaining ownership of a project or idea? Why or why not? Do empowerment and ownership promote organizational trust? Why or why not?