Empowering the Wrong People to Leadership is just as hazardous as Failing to Empower your teams at all…

One of the biggest shifts I have to work on with Growing & Scaling Founders is their ability to build, delegate and lead their teams effectively after so long of running solo.

We do A LOT of mental conditioning to help our portfolio clients learn the skills they need to begin EMPOWERING their teams, cultivating leaders and starting to release control in an effort to fuel growth and retain key staff.

These practices and models are quite literally woven into the DNA of MOST modern organisations into today’s business ecosystem because we KNOW that when we give our teams more authority, control and ownership over how they drive the company into it’s vision, we see a more involved, dedicated, motivated, productive and commuted workforce.

Research over the years has consistently shown that when employees are empowered, there is an:

• Increase in Job Satisfaction: A study published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior found that empowerment is directly correlated with higher job satisfaction & that Employees who feel empowered are 21% more likely to be satisfied with their jobs ie. Reducing attrition/churn, boosting morale and productivity so on and so forth.

• Boost in Productivity: According to a Gallup survey, companies that empower their employees experience 22% higher productivity than those that don't & 21% increase in profitability compared to those who don’t.

• Enhanced Commitment: A study by Harvard Business Review found that empowered employees are 23% more committed to their organizations, reducing turnover rates and retaining top talent.

• Greater Innovation: Empowered employees are more likely to engage in creative problem-solving and innovation. The Journal of Applied Psychology reported that empowerment leads to a 15% increase in innovative behaviour among employees.

However…there comes a point where empowerment becomes more of a double-edged sword.

When you begin to adopt the belief that you can train A+ employees and that your leadership capacity is a REFLECTION of your leadership…it can be easy to think that EVERYONE is ready for that additional leadership empowerment…

When this is further from the truth.

Not every hire is ready to be empowered into leadership.

And there is unfortunately such a thing as promoting the wrong people at the wrong time OR even the right people at the wrong time.

Before we dive into things you should be looking into before Empowering a team member with additional responsibility…I want to briefly explore WHY some employees are more responsive to leadership empowerment than others.

I can keep going on, but this is really the heart of why empowering some with leadership clicks while for others, it just doesn’t.

And look, I get it—when you're running small, lean, and agile teams, you’re desperate to maximize the potential of the people you’ve got. Sometimes it feels like you don’t have a choice but to promote your current hires because they’re right there, ready and willing. But here’s the deal—I’ve got to wave a huge caution flag when this is your mindset.

Just because you’re feeling the pressure to move quickly doesn’t mean every team member is ready to step up. And rushing this decision can lead to bigger issues down the road. So, before you make that call, really assess if they’re ready for that next level of responsibility.

Whilst a few of these things ( if not all ) will be reaffirming the above… Let’s deep dive into things you should be looking for that will serve as RED FLAGS for whether or not a team member is ready for empowered leadership responsibility or not ( even if they say that they are )…

1. They are Inexperienced

If someone lacks the necessary skills, you’re not empowering them—you’re setting them up to fail…👀 When team members are given responsibilities beyond their current capabilities, the likelihood of mistakes, mishaps, and even project failures increases. According to a study by the American Psychological Association, 60% of employees who were prematurely empowered reported feeling overwhelmed and stressed, leading to decreased performance and morale. Instead ~ I would continue to check in on their PPFs, ensuring that continued development is something they are craving & slowly but surely train the skills till they are ready.

2. Misalignment of Values

Leadership Empowerment without Alignment is a recipe for disaster. Empowerment assumes that individuals will make decisions aligned with the organization's values and goals, However, if a team member does not yet FULLY embrace & EMBODY these values…their decision-making may be flawed.

Research from the Journal of Business Ethics indicates that employees who lack alignment with their organization's core values are 2.5 times more likely to make decisions that negatively impact the organization ( yikes )

3. Disorganization and Overwhelm

When you reflect on the potential promotion target…I want you to assess how they navigate complexity. Do they struggle with organization and time management, particularly when faced with complex tasks that require juggling multiple responsibilities? A study by Project Management Institute found that 45% of projects managed by disorganized team members failed to meet their objectives, resulting in wasted resources and missed opportunities which as a startup…you simply cannot afford.

4. History of Underperformance

A track record of underperformance without cause or demonstration of improvement is a STRONG indicator that an individual may not be ready for empowerment. These employees often require more structure and support to succeed for many reasons! Empowering them prematurely can exacerbate their struggles, leading to further underperformance and a negative impact on team dynamics.

Data from the Corporate Executive Board suggests that underperforming employees who are empowered without adequate support are 30% more likely to continue underperforming and when you put those statistics into a place of leadership, things get rocky.

5. The People-Pleaser Trap

Last but not least… do they fall into people-pleasing patterns? Employees who prioritize pleasing others over achieving great outcomes can be problematic when empowered. Their decision-making is often swayed by the opinions and desires of others rather than by what is best for the COMPANY. Research from Psychology Today highlights that people-pleasers are 40% less likely to make independent decisions, which can undermine the effectiveness of empowerment.

Before empowering any team member into a place of leadership…I want you to be looking for these red flags and doing the following:

1. Assess Readiness

Before empowering a team member, it is CRUCIAL for you to assess their readiness using the signs and signals above, as well as 1:1 discussions with other members of the team and using Leadership Assessments ( and adjacent tools ) to help you BEST qualify the potential promotion target.

2. Provide Support and Resources

According to McKinsey & Company, teams that receive ongoing support and mentorship are 35% more likely to achieve their goals. Whilst a team member may not have it all figured out to be promoted yet…they may demonstrate POTENTIAL to be promoted, and this is where the heavy lifting starts. It is up to YOU or your other leadership & management personnel, to PREPARE the team member with any support, resources and training they need to unlock their greatest potential. This is why having consultants in your back pocket who can help you make PIP plans and professional development blueprints are invaluable to you and your company’s success.

3. Set Clear Expectations

Set your people up for success by making clarity the bare minimum standard within the organisation. The clearer your expectations & boundaries around the shifts and changes that could happen to their role….the better! Nobody likes to be left in the dust. Clarity = Confidence = Execution = Progress = Success.

4. Monitor and Adjust

Leadership Empowerment is not a one-time event but an ongoing process. You should regularly monitor the progress of empowered individuals, provide feedback, and make adjustments as needed. Just because someone has what it takes to be granted a leadership position…doesn’t always mean they have what it takes to sustain it!! Data from Bain & Company suggests that continuous monitoring and adjustment of empowerment strategies can increase team performance by up to 25%.

What are your thoughts?

Is this something you are struggling with? Let me know!