The Empowerment Coin

Imagine being able to go on vacation with nothing to do but hang out with loved ones and enjoy the sights and local attractions. Are worries about work keeping this daydream from becoming reality for you?
 
I just returned from five days of rejuvenating vacation, bookended by a new adventure – a long-distance train trip that was a mini-vacation in itself. I enjoyed myself from beginning to end, free of worries about my company or my clients; I didn’t even have to deal with the distraction of emails. This worry-free vacation wasn’t a fluke; I’ve been preparing for it by bringing the right people on board, ensuring they have the requisite knowledge, skill, and ability to perform their jobs well, and providing development opportunities to hone their confidence.

For the first time in a long time, I was able to enjoy myself completely while away from work. Why? Because my employees are empowered. Empowered to make decisions in my absence. Empowered to do their jobs without my direct supervision. I like to think of this as an empowerment coin. On the one side, my team members are empowered to do their best whether I’m in town or not. It’s this empowerment – resulting from planning, training, coaching, development, and recognition – that allowed me to stay in the moment while I was enjoying Chicago’s architecture, art, and amazing museums with my family.
  
The other side of the empowerment coin is that my employees are given generous paid time off, and neither I nor their managers are stingy with allowing them to take it. I want to be able to focus on the personal when I’m on vacation and it’s good for both my company and my team for them to do the same. In redeeming that empowerment coin, what I expect – and     receive – in return is that an empowered employee (and a rested one) is in the moment at work, concentrating on the business matters at hand with clarity and focus.