“When you hand good people possibility, they do great things.” – Biz Stone
Organizations thrive when leaders actively support and invest in their employees. The success of an individual is often shaped by the leaders they observe, learn from, and work alongside. Great leaders know that managing isn’t enough - they mentor, inspire, and open doors for growth. When leaders take an active interest in developing others, they create a ripple effect of empowered, capable individuals who are more confident, innovative, and aligned with the organization’s purpose. These relationships not only shape careers but also strengthen the culture and future leadership pipeline of the entire organization.
The best leaders know how to maximize the potential of their team members by enabling them to reach their full potential. As a Forbes contributor, Glenn Llopis explains, empowering employees starts with surrounding them with strong mentors who stretch their potential and inspire growth. In addition, when leaders encourage individuals to lean into their natural strengths and support their decision-making abilities while expanding their performance tolerance threshold, confidence and ability grow. Over time, these efforts create a solid foundation that boosts resilience, enhances performance, and fosters a stronger sense of ownership.
The Five Practices of Leadership
Kouzes and Posner are renowned leadership experts known for their influential work in leadership development. They outlined five practices of exemplary leadership in their bookThe Leadership Challenge. These practices are fundamental to effective leadership and widely used in leadership training programs. Here are the Five Practices of Leadership according to Kouzes and Posner:
1. Model the Way
2. Inspire a Shared Vision
3. Challenge the Process
4. Enable Others to Act
5. Recognize and Celebrate (Encourage the Heart)
In this article, we will focus on number 4. Enable Others to Act. Supporting teams to act requires leaders to strengthen others so they can do their best work. Rather than simply assigning tasks, leaders can enable others to act by building trust, fostering collaboration, and giving people the confidence and authority to take initiative. Leaders who embrace this practice understand that high-performing teams are built on mutual respect and shared power. When people feel supported and included, they’re more likely to contribute innovative ideas, question poor choices, take ownership of results, and push the organization forward with energy and purpose.
What Does “Enable Others to Act” Mean in Practical Terms?
Empowering others is a crucial aspect of effective leadership. Leaders foster collaboration and build trust by promoting a culture of mutual respect and creating an environment where people feel capable and powerful. They strengthen others by providing opportunities for growth and development.
Key aspects of the "Enable Others to Act" concept include:
- Fostering collaboration. Leaders can foster collaboration by building trust and facilitating relationships.
- Strengthening others. Leaders should do what they can to strengthen those around them by sharing power and discretion.
- Developing competence and confidence. Leaders should support and develop their team members into competent and confident workers who can contribute to the organization's growth.
Practical ways to “Enable Others to Act”:
- Empower your team by delegating responsibilities and authority and trusting your team members to make decisions within their areas of expertise. True empowerment goes beyond task assignment—it requires leaders to step back with intention, allowing others to lead, take risks, and learn, while remaining available as a sounding board and advocate when needed.
- Cultivate collaboration by fostering a collaborative environment. This means encouraging teamwork and facilitating open communication among team members by creating spaces where diverse perspectives are welcomed, healthy conflict is managed productively, and shared ownership of outcomes becomes the norm.
- Ensure your team has the necessary resources to accomplish their tasks effectively, whether it's time, tools, or training. This includes proactively identifying gaps before they become obstacles.
- Engage and inspire employees to perform with regular one-on-one “status” conversations versus having situational or episodic ones. This is one type of courageous conversation that gives leaders the ability to influence the direction a team member is taking and help them to navigate or eliminate any barriers they may be encountering that are preventing them from producing their best work.
Get Results by Enabling Others to Act
As you reflect on how to strengthen your team, consider this: What are you doing to encourage others to act? Are you reducing stress, providing meaningful choices, truly listening, and offering encouragement? Small, intentional actions like these build the foundation for empowered teams and lasting leadership impact. By embracing the practice of “Enable Others to Act”, leaders can create an environment where trust is built and individuals feel empowered to take initiative, collaborate with their teammates, and drive meaningful progress.
Learning to strengthen others to perform their best work to drive sustainable, scalable business results can be taught through effective leadership development with the Heffelfinger Company.
Contact us for a FREE Values Exploration Conversation or to learn more about the Leadership Practices Inventory (Self or 360 version). Discover how you or your team can implement Practice 4 – Enable Others to Act to elevate your leadership impact today.
Warmly,
James
James Jackman & Lori Heffelfinger
Source:
Glenn Llopis. Leadership Is About Enabling The Full Potential In Others. 4/14/2022. https://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2014/07/29/leadership-is-about-enabling-the-full-potential-in-others/. Accessed 6/19/2025.
