I’ve heard it said once that you must seek first to understand, then be understood. This is the cornerstone of respect.
Respect is the perfect closing step to empowerment because each other point requires the manager to respect his employees. Clearly defining job responsibilities shows respect. Giving people the proper authority is a sign of respect for their work performance. Setting high standards of excellence show respect for the employee’s ability to achieve those standards. Training and developing employees shows respect for their track record and for the potential you see in them. Providing knowledge, feedback, and recognition show respect. Trust and respect go hand-in-hand with each other. Granting permission to fail shows that you respect their ability to learn from their own mistakes.
