Walking the Empowerment Tightrope Friday 3 April 2020 Presented by: Sarah Walton and Marion Thomas, from Extraordinary Project Management, The link to the write up page and resources of this webinar: https://www.apm.org.uk/news/walking-the-empowerment-tightrope/

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Extraordinary Project Management
Empowerment
© Gold Heron Ltd 2020
Marion Thomas and Sarah Walton
www.extraordinarypm.com

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Where being Extraordinary has taken us
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Printing
Publishing
Airlines
Telecomms
Financial sector
Manufacturing
AgChem / Pharma
Public Sector
We can (and have)
brought our expertise to:
➢ Any industry sector
➢ Any type of project
➢ Any business imperative
for a project
➢ Any function within
business
This is just a selection of
our clients – there are many
more
© Gold Heron Ltd 2020

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Introduction to the session
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Our objectives are to:
➢ explore empowerment through the metaphor of dog walking*
➢ prompt some ideas and thoughts
➢ have some fun to fuel our fulfilment
We will
➢ ask some questions
➢ throw some ideas and perspectives out there
➢ share some stories
➢ invite some discussion
*without offending anyone hopefully!!
© Gold Heron Ltd 2020

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Empowerment in the project world
➢ Is empowerment different in the project world than
the ‘Business as Usual’ work place?
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Empowerment in the project world
➢ Do you feel empowered where you are working at
the moment?
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Empowerment in the project world
➢ Do you empower your teams?
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Why does this matter?
Empowerment → Fulfilment
Empowering leadership:
➢ Enhances creativity
➢ Increases performance
➢ Grows confidence
➢ Develops mutual trust
➢ Fosters commitment
➢ Builds fulfilment
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Empowerment is a two-way process
Being empowered and empowering others is a team sport!
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Empowerment is a two-way process
➢ be open to new ideas
➢ welcome & learn from mistakes
➢ see the whole person in one
another
➢ value contributions
➢ be positive, supportive and
encouraging
➢ ensure clear boundaries and
authorisation
➢ foster excellent communication
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Being empowered and empowering others is a team sport!
© Gold Heron Ltd 2020

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5 essentials for effective empowerment
➢ A collective team target
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5 essentials for effective empowerment
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➢ A collective team target
➢ clear roles & responsibilities
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5 essentials for effective empowerment
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➢ A collective team target
➢ clear roles &
responsibilities
➢ clear boundaries

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5 essentials for effective empowerment
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➢ A collective team target
➢ clear roles & responsibilities
➢ clear boundaries
➢ learn – review & adapt
© Gold Heron Ltd 2020

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5 essentials for effective empowerment
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➢ A collective team target
➢ clear roles & responsibilities
➢ clear boundaries
➢ learn – review & adapt
➢ encourage judgement to be
used – stop and think!!

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But isn’t it better that I lead and control?
Projects can and do work
that way....
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But isn’t it better that I lead and control?
Projects can and do work
that way....
.....but consider....
➢ the container and
context the project is
working in
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But isn’t it better that I lead and control?
Projects can and do work
that way....
.....but consider....
➢ the container and
context the project is
working in
➢ your needs and those
of your team
© Gold Heron Ltd 2020 17

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But isn’t it better that I lead and control?
Projects can and do work
that way....
.....but consider....
➢ the container and
context the project is
working in
➢ your needs and those
of your team
© Gold Heron Ltd 2020 18

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But isn’t it better that I lead and control?
Projects can and do work
that way....
.....but consider....
➢ the container and
context the project is
working in
➢ your needs and those
of your team
➢ the needs of your
sponsor and
stakeholder
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Managing the risk
What if empowerment leads to chaos?
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Managing the risk
What if empowerment leads to chaos?
Go back to the 5 essentials and adapt
➢ target
➢ roles and responsibilities
➢ boundaries
➢ review and adapt
➢ judgement
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Now it’s your turn …..
In pairs
➢ Take turns to describe an empowerment issue you have
experienced – either where you want to be more
empowered as part of a team or where you have tried to
empower your team
➢ Listen to the other person’s story and come up with a
metaphor for the situation
➢ Review if the metaphor resonates and could be useful to
manage a similar situation
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Q & As
➢ Your thoughts and insights?
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Key take-aways....
Empowerment in a project
➢ Takes two
the empowerer and the
empowered
➢ Dynamic
it needs balance and
adjustment
➢ Sits within a container
the project controls and the
business governance
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Useful resources
Concepts for you to adapt and apply to Empowerment
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➢ Start with Why - Simon Sinek book or watch his TED
talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA
➢ Tribes – We need you to lead us by Seth Godin or
watch his TED talk The tribes we lead (18 mins)
https://www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_on_the_tribes_we_lead
➢ Leadership Lessons from Dancing (2.57 mins)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQ
➢ YouTube – fight Mediocrity is a great channel for business
books in 15 minutes
➢ Our website - https://www.extraordinarypm.com