Empowering People Too Early (And Why It Backfires)
We love the word empowerment.
Empower your supervisors. Empower your new managers. Empower Gen Z. Empower the frontline. Empower your rising stars.
It sounds modern, progressive, and people-centered - until we do it wrong.
And here’s how empowerment usually goes in the real world:
A leader hands off responsibility.
The employee struggles (maybe even fails).
The leader gets frustrated.
The leader takes the work back (puts the monkey back on their shoulder).
Both conclude empowerment “doesn’t work.”
We’re trying to empower too soon!
Empowerment is not the first step of development - it's the final one. When we skip the runway, we set people up to fail and accidentally reinforce dependency.
Instead, try this simple but powerful development sequence:
Include → Engage → Empower (IEE Continuum)
1. INCLUDE: “Watch while I do it.”
This is the apprenticeship phase. The goal isn’t independence or performance, it’s exposure and context. The job here of a supervisor is teaching.
During Inclusion:
The leader owns the task.
The learner observes.
Expectations, standards, tone, and beliefs are modeled.
The focus is on learning how we do things here.
This is where culture transfers.
What Inclusion sounds like:
“Watch how I handle this guest issue, and take notes on what I prioritize.”
“Sit in on this meeting—not to speak yet, but to learn how we make decisions.”
2. ENGAGE: “Do it with me while supported.”
This is the practice phase - hands on, but with guidance. The supervisor is coaching here.
Here the leader still participates, but the learner begins owning pieces of the process. The leader corrects, clarifies, and offers mentorship in real time.
During Engagement:
Mistakes are expected (and welcomed).
The leader stays close enough to guide without rescuing.
The goal is building skill and confidence.
What Engagement sounds like:
“You lead the conversation, I’ll be next to you if you need support.”
“Draft the agenda - then we’ll review it together before the meeting.”
3. EMPOWER: “You’ve got it - run with it.”
Empowerment is earned capacity, not delegated convenience.
At this stage, the leader steps back because:
Belief aligns with culture,
Skills are demonstrated consistently, and
The person shows ownership, not just competence.
This is true autonomy and sustainable leadership development. Empowerment means supporting from a distance while honoring the leader you've developed.
What Empowerment sounds like:
“You own this now. I trust your judgment. Let me know how I can support you.”
“What can I do to cut red tape or get you in front of who you need to?”
3 Real-World Scenarios for Applying the IEE Continuum
Scenario 1: Leading a Performance Conversation
A new supervisor notices a team member repeatedly arriving late or missing steps in daily tasks. Instead of immediately “empowering” them to handle performance conversations alone, the leader begins with Include: the supervisor observes the department head conducting a real performance conversation, paying attention to tone, structure, and how expectations are clarified. In Engage, the supervisor leads the conversation while the department head sits in, offering support if things get off track. Only after consistency and confidence are demonstrated does Empower kick in, where the supervisor initiates and manages the performance dialogue independently - from preparation to follow-up coaching. Empowerment is earned, not assumed.
Scenario 2: Running Weekly Team Meetings
A manager wants a rising employee to begin facilitating meetings to develop leadership presence. The Include phase looks like observing the manager lead meetings and debrief afterward about agenda strategy, flow, and handling differing opinions. In Engage, the employee runs part of the meeting (such as updates or closing reflections), while the manager co-facilitates or supports side conversations. Finally, Empower looks like the employee fully owning the meeting - from agenda creation to timekeeping to post-meeting communication - while the manager attends only when needed or steps back entirely. Leadership voice develops gradually, not by throwing someone into the deep end.
Scenario 3: Owning a Cross-Department Project
A high-potential employee is assigned to coordinate a cross-department initiative. Instead of handing them the project outright, Include starts with participation: they sit in on project calls, observe stakeholder dynamics, and learn how priorities are negotiated. During Engage, they begin scheduling meetings, sending communications, and managing specific workstreams while checking in weekly for calibration and feedback. Only when they demonstrate alignment, follow-through, and strategic understanding does Empower happen, where they take full ownership—setting milestones, coordinating departments, presenting updates, and closing the project independently. The goal shifts from task completion to independent leadership.
Direct Application
Empowerment takes time (and some failures), it’s a progression you steward over time.
If you’re frustrated that someone “wasn’t ready,” ask yourself:
Did I Include first?
Did I Engage long enough?
Or did I jump straight to Empower and call it leadership?
