Leadership Empowerment in Action

The Law of Empowerment says, Only Secure Leaders Give Power to Others.

I remember a story from a biographer of Adolf Hitler - I think it was in history class but I’m not sure - what I do know is I’ve heard this same story since and wanted to share it with you here specific to the Law of Empowerment.

When Adolf Hitler wanted to hire a chauffeur, he interviewed around 30 people for the job, according to the story, and he ended up selecting the smallest individual for the job.  The driver he selected was so short, he had to use special blocks to boost him up to be able to see over the steering wheel and special blocks to fit over the gas and brake pedals - just so he could reach them.

Hitler needed to keep everyone around him small - literally and figuratively - in order to make himself look big.  Leadership to him was making others smaller and worth less in his own mind. 

For those of us studying leadership who are out there leading…we know better!!  We know the key to truly leading is to empower others around us. As leaders, we should be lifting others up and helping them to succeed at levels better than we ever could.  Secure leaders empower others and are in turn quite empowered themselves as a source that raises up the best leaders yet.

Who can you empower around you?  Who can you empower at a higher level than you currently are to help them develop and identify individuals they can empower as well?