Empowerment, Voice, and Choice
“Being a steward of an organization’s mission and services includes doing what you can to bolster your co-workers, cheer them on as they do their good work, and create an environment where they feel pride and ownership of collective success.”
As I often say during training sessions, the Six Principles of Trauma Informed Care can support every relationship and every work place. At the foundation of each of these principles is building and sustaining trust, which is critical for every team and should be a goal for each supervisor.
The principle of Empowerment, Voice, and Choice is a wonderful focus for any supervisor who’s interested in facilitating trust and collaboration among co-workers. I’m partial to it because of my work with survivors of sexual and domestic violence - supporting people who had their power taken away while they achieved self agency was always what we were striving for. Co-creating spaces where others felt empowered became a regular part of the work I was doing.
I know I want to work in an environment where I feel trusted, know my opinion matters, and regularly make choices for myself. Unfortunately, many work environments don’t feel like this to their employees. Instead, employees feel disempowered when their opinions are not considered or if they fear speaking out against what’s happening around them. Work environments like this are toxic, and they definitely don’t facilitate creativity, innovation, or care. When the work being done is serving others, the combination of a toxic environment and vicarious trauma is exhausting and leads to turnover and dysfunction.
I like to remember that being in the helping professions, for me, is about making the world a better place, and a part of the world we have the most influence on is our workplace. Especially when we’re supervisors! Being a steward of an organization’s mission and services includes doing what you can to bolster your co-workers, cheer them on as they do their good work, and create an environment where they feel pride and ownership of collective success.
There are multiple ways to facilitate Empowerment, Voice, and Choice in your team, and it’s important for supervisors to take the time to consistently integrate this principle. Here are just a few suggestions:
Make room for employees to make choices for themselves when possible - their work schedule; the unique way they want to complete a task or project; or the interventions they think are best to offer to a participant are all moments where they can exercise their own self agency and know that you trust them.
Ask for feedback in informal and formal ways. After you’ve heard from your co-workers, do something with that feedback. Explicitly share what you heard and what you understand differently because you listened. Implement their ideas and give them credit for their creative thinking. If you aren’t able to implement initiatives from their feedback, explain why it’s not possible and how you’re considering their feedback as you evaluate the results and impacts of the actions you’re taking.
When someone you supervise openly disagrees with you, be gracious and responsive. Remember that it takes courage to disagree with someone who holds positional power, and do your best to not focus on the way they delivered their disagreement. Remember that feedback, even when it’s hard to receive, is a gift that helps you understand the other person or situation differently. Good leaders remain open to other perspectives because they understand that there is always more to learn or consider.
Find reasons for your co-workers to make decisions that you’re not a part of. This may be the agenda for a staff retreat; the best questions to go into an intake form; or the biggest priorities for spending client assistance funds. Be clear about their decision making authority and what information you need to have along the way, and then acknowledge the work they put into making solid choices.
Appreciate and share gratitude as often as you can. Empowerment and the feeling of self agency can result from knowing you’re trusted and valued. As a supervisor, raising up your co-workers through praise and recognition (especially when there’s trust between you) is incredibly meaningful. Show someone you notice their efforts by appreciating their contributions, strengths, and presence. Do it consistently, and do it often.