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In my department management utilizes the directive behavior leader style by providing the rules, regulations, and expectations of each employee’s specific duties. Each employee has a clear understanding of their standards of procedures and are allowed to make their own decisions for their specific work load. Then each employee utilizes the self-determination empowerment dimension. “Self-determination is having control over the way employees do their work.” (Cengage Learning p. 413) I think there is a little “team of rivals” in my department. Even though we all work in the same department and are working to reach a common goal we all do not agree or some may not even like each other. By putting differences aside and keeping the department mission in the forefront the department is successful. By putting group goals before self-interest is the key to “team of rivals.” (Forbes.com) A problem that I have is that there are times when the managers decide to make decision for the department without consulting with the employees individually or in a group setting. If I was the manager, I would continue to allow employees to utilize self-determination. I would use the consult group decision making method before making decisions that affects the department. This is because the employees are the one performing the work so they should be included in decisions that affects their daily work.

1. I think I am powerful in my role as an Administrative Coordinator for my department. I report to the director and the managers come to me for nearly everything. It’s like I am the liaison between the managers and director and the employees and managers. Based upon Kanter’s symbols of power I have most of the characteristics outlined. The ability to intercede for someone in trouble, ability to get placement for favored employees, getting items on the agenda at meetings, and having access to early information. (Cengage Learning p. 403)

2. The person I know personally who has a lot of power is my husband who is a detective. He has the ability to arrest a person for doing wrong. He has legitimate power. He can make lawful demands and expect people to be compliant. (Mindtools.com) He also has information power when he is making his cases. With so much going on in society today, I admire my husband and the job he does on a daily basis.

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After reviewing the dimensions of empowerment, I think people in my work environment are empowered by leadership and responsibility.  I tend to work with people who have high grades, who are leaders and work in management or they tend to be team leads or Commission Corp.  A lot of the staff have responsibility that they uphold in the most respect.  Employees tend to have the notion that they are empowered, but not all of them are in the position to have have empowerment.  The article “The Power Empowerment”, the author emphasis the roles and identifies staff who seek empowerment.  The article speaks of how staff should be viewed as the same.  No one employee should be made to feel more empowered than another one.  As stated, “to be sure everyone involved is defining and applying empowerment in the same way” (Rowe, n.d).

1. I view myself as powerless, but in some instances I may have a little power.  I am powerless because I am not in a leader or management positon, so I uphold no responsibility for other at work, I cannot make decisions nor do I have the ability to make things happen as I see fit.  I do view myself as having a little power, because as part of my job, staff depend on me to give them the best decisions when it comes to the laws of contracting and upholding the budget.  I can make the decisions, but I do not carry the weight to see them through.

2. As a Christian, I do not see anyone no more powerful than GOD, because I view it as through him all things are possible.  I see upper Management as people who are powerful, but they can only make but so many decisions.   I work for the federal government, so are budget and contractual things are controlled a majority of the time through Congress and the Budget.  I see no more powerful than the next person.  Employees in a retail environment tend to use empowerment towards their customers.  Customers in any environment should feel empowered simply because they are always right and retailer rely on them for sales.  As stated in the Harvard Business Review “You can build a strategy around empowering employees to solve customers’ problems” (Bernoff & Schadler, 2010).