Accidental Genius, 2nd Edition

Chapter 9Open Up Words

Here’s a page from my freewriting file:

I yawn when I see an author use the word “empowerment.”

Sure, I understand that the word is supposed to mean “decentralization” and “giving everyone, including the front-line worker, power to make decisions that help the customer.” But unless the writer is someone I trust, someone I know who has thought about the word 124 times, and put it into practice himself, I think most writers use the word because it sounds high-minded.

The majority of the business world doesn’t use empowerment as a practice, at least, not effectively. For most businesspeople, empowerment is an untested concept, or a rationalization for a disinterested, laissez-faire management style.

Here are more problems ...