Closing the Execution Gap: How Great Leaders and Their Companies Get Results

Beyond the Buzzword: What “Empowerment” Really Means

As we said, the right balance of centralized and decentralized structure helps put decisions in the hands of people closest to the problem. Still, that’s only part of the solution. These people must be given substantial responsibility for meaningful tasks and the information and resources needed to implement them. Plus, they must be trusted to solve problems and make decisions without obtaining prior approval.

Examples of empowerment can be found in many companies. Often, they involve front-line employees who have direct contact with customers. When British Airways allowed its customer service representatives to deal with each case individually, rather than following rigid protocols for ...