INT 127: How to Empower your Emerging Leaders

Whether you’re a senior member of your business looking for ways to offer support or an emerging leader yourself, you’ve probably recognized the importance of empowerment in leadership. In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, your host Linda Yates and guest Susan Owen Lauwers discuss some do’s and don’ts to help you on your journey to becoming a stronger, more balanced leader.

Recognizing an Emerging Leader

• Lauwers got to know her own leadership style. She is beginning to identify personality traits that have helped her as a leader and can sometimes recognize them in others.
• The people who have the most skills and knowledge are not necessarily the best managers – it comes down to interpersonal skills or natural qualities.

Why Nurture Emerging Leaders?

• It’s a business investment: if your leaders succeed, your business succeeds.
• Paying it forward is a life strategy. If you are a leader, someone has probably mentored you along the way, and supporting others helps you bring it full circle.

3 Tips for Empowering Leaders

1. Seek to understand. When offering support, showing that you hear and understand can help you motivate others and problem-solve.
2. It’s okay to not have all the answers. Even if you’re in a position of leadership, you aren’t going to always know everything. Part of good leadership is identifying your strengths and getting support for your weaknesses.
3. Be willing to grow. It’s great to support others but be willing to look at yourself and continue on an internal journey of reflection and growth.

“It’s a balancing act. You want to give folks an opportunity to challenge themselves and try new things, but you also don’t want to give folks too much too fast so that they feel like they’re drowning or they’re out of their league… Take a step back, let go of some things, give some things away, but stay nearby.” – Susan Owen Lauwers