On Friday, part of the discussion I had with the coaching network guys was related to the differences between empowerment and delegation. We took about 15 minutes to brainstorm a list of the differences between the two. Here’s part of where we landed:
Here’s the reality. It’s a lot easier to delegate tasks. And, there are instances, particularly in emergency response situations, where delegation is necessary. In the long run, though, empowering other leaders is the way to build healthier organizations. It will be messier along the way, but you end up in a place where your organization can have a much bigger impact and more people will be fulfilled in their roles.
Do you agree? What would you add to the list?
[…] Tony Morgan on Empowerment vs. Delegation […]
[…] in the mind of these individuals who are supposed to work on manager’s behalf. Read this and this for a good discussion on the topic. Here are the definitions I like to use for these two words, and […]
[…] Sometimes church members are asked to serve but are not empowered to do what they are asked to do. Churches are quick to give people responsibilities. The problem is that they don’t often empower them to do ministry. Let me explain. Often staff will delegate responsibilities to volunteers. When they delegate those responsibilities it means that the staff is still ultimately responsible for the outcomes, good or bad. When a volunteer is empowered they are given the authority to do what needs to be done within the parameters set by the vision for the church. For a more detailed of the difference between delegation and empowerment look at Tony Morgan’s post here. […]
[…] There is an excellent article from Tony Morgan explaining the difference between a classic delegation approach and empowerment. […]