Empowerment is about providing the opportunity to perform and own responsibilities in real-life settings and roles. Equipping without empowering is like an athlete stuck on a practice squad but never getting to compete in a game. Equipping allows competence to translate into confidence, which is essential for growth.

Many leaders wait too long to empower their team members to lead at a higher level, which results in turnover and talent gaps in the organization. An individual who has been empowered by success in real-life can never become disempowered because of the new talent they’ve gained.