When Does Empowerment Not Work?

Management support and commitment is nonexistent or not sustained

A sense of empowerment is used to manipulate employees to do something without giving them real responsibility and authority (e.g., encouraging employees to take risks without giving them the right training or support; using slogans) (cartoon)

Empowerment = abdication of authority by managers

Empowerment is deployed selectively among workers who perform similar tasks

Empowerment is used as an excuse to not invest in employee training or development (e.g., employees have to pay for their own training and skill upgrade)

Managers fail to provide feedback, do not recognize achievements, and mishandle worker errors