Volume 3, Issue 5, May 2004


EMPOWERING OTHERS

Empowering another is one of the greatest gifts you can give to the people you care about.  When one is empowered, one has actually conquered fear and fear is one of the biggest ‘disablers’ of humankind.

Some of you would say that you are constantly empowering people, but are you?  Do you allow (sorry, not just allow, but actually encourage) people to be who they were meant to be?  Do you encourage knowledgeable risk taking?  Do you help people reach their goals?  Do you support the visions and dreams of others, even if those deams and visions are not what you would see as part of your journey?

Many times we think we are empowering when in fact we are actually hindering someone else’s potential development.  Are people afraid to approach you because of the way you openly judge others?  We don’t realize that if we are talking to A about what B wears, how C eats, the way D talks and how E looks, we are actually letting A know that he/she will be judged and criticized as well.  Do you think A will feel empowered by this sort of relationship?  I think not.

Let us go through some steps for empowering others.  These steps also include the six tenets of The Mouradian Model for Cooperative Action©.  In review, these tenets are:

1. The individual is celebrated as the foundation of all relationships.

2.  All individuals should be allowed to do anything they want, as long as they do not knowingly adversely affect the planet or anyone on it.

3. All relationships are based on constant negotiation of boundaries by using respectful, honest and direct communication in order to bring a clear understanding to all of our interactions.

4. Each person involved in a relationship should always be looking for a balance and equilibrium in order to create a cooperative action without losing a sense of self.

5.  No one person in a relationship has power or ownership over any other person or persons in the relationship.  There must be a sense of mutual trust and respect.

6. Not all relationships are meant to be.  One person’s views and boundaries may not be compatible with another.  This is when we understand that ‘acceptance in not necessarily agreement’, and (where necessary) it may be time to walk away.


To the above we can add a few more that concentrate on empowering others. 

            Do not criticize the actions of others.

            Do not judge the actions of others.

            Do not gossip about the actions of others.

            Encourage risk taking.

            Delegate responsibilities to others.


People must feel safe enough to open up their hearts in order that they may make the choices in their lives that will be best for them.  Sometimes, when we feel that a person cannot handle a certain situation, we tend to baby them and we should look at the underlying reason for not allowing a person to grow.  By examining these reasons, we sometimes find that it is our problem, not theirs.  We are the ones that are afraid.

Take for example; one of our parents has a heart attack.  Because we do not want to lose our parent, we treat him or her like a baby.  We watch the parent constantly, making sure that she/he does not strain anything.  This disables rather than enables.  We become over concerned and therefore we are the ones that actually hamper the healing process.

Similarly, this happens with our children, empowering means letting go.  Open the gate and let them out.  You cannot protect them for the rest of their lives.  They have their own journey that they have to experience.  Yes they will make mistakes and yes, they will get hurt form time to time but that is all part of experiencing this journey.  Even the butterfly sheds its cocoon to fly out into the big world.

Finally, do not be afraid to empower.  You will be seen as a mentor.  You will have been a part of sending someone on the road to fulfill his or her journey.  They will be empowered to be the person they were meant to be.

Best In Life…

Ted


Humphry says…

"You will be free to be the person you were meant to be, once you allow all others the freedom to be the people they were meant to be."


BRODI’S BITS…

Keep The Mouradian Group in mind for all of your management needs; from conflict and bullying, consulting, seminars, keynote presentations and master of ceremonies.  Visit our website www.CooperativeAction.com for more information.


To find out how we can help you or your organization please browse our website

To subscribe to THE CARAVAN please send an email with your name to info@cooperativeaction.com and type SUBSCRIBE as the subject.