Empowerment & Motivation: Traits of The Model Employee

Who are the model employees? These employees are motivated and empowered so they have a positive attitude and take initiative in developing new ideas.

Supervisors and managers want model employees who are empowered and motivated on their team. A model employee is empowered to take advantage of training opportunities, keeps a positive attitude and sets 'SMART' goals. Motivation is also significant to a model employee because it involves taking initiative and offering fresh ideas.

A Model Employee is Empowered

To empower means to authorize. So empowerment for an employee is that internal momentum that not only promotes belief in himself but gives that additional drive to strive for success. Empowered employees possess a positive mindset, seek new opportunities for growth and development and set SMART goals. 

•  A positive attitude: A positive attitude is an asset to employees in their professional and personal lives. Every day is not perfect, but it is important to view problems as a way to improve problem-solving skills. Think positive thoughts and say positive words to keep focus. Stay away from negative conversations especially those centered around gossip.
• Attains training to enhance self: New and seasoned employees need to attend training sessions or workshops to improve their performance. Some jobs offer training programs and also pay for employees to attend sessions offered by other entities. An empowered employee will also seek out opportunities for growth via the local community college or other workshops offered.
• Sets SMART goals: Everyone should set career and personal goals. Ken Blanchard and Susan Fowler Woodring in their booklet Empowerment: Achieving Peak Performance Through Self-leadership [Blanchard Family Partnership/Successories, Inc.,1998] state that goals should be SMART meaning they should be specific and measurable, motivating, attainable, relevant and trackable. For example, do not set a five year goal to attain a Master's degree if a Bachelor's degree is not acquired first. For long term goals, employees have to consider management positions, entrepreneurship and retirement.

Motivated Employees are Empowered to Take Action

Every person is motivated by different factors. Praise, notoriety, self-satisfaction and monetary rewards are some of the driving forces that keep employees motivated. A motivated employee takes initiative to get the job done right the first time and offers ideas for improving the business activities.

• Takes initiative: A motivated employee is willing to take initiative in situations that call for quick thinking. A motivated employee will not notice that there is one bottle of drinking water left and wait until the supervisor arrives to complain. The model employee will organize for water to be ordered and will ensure that water is always ordered before the last bottle empties.
• Offer ideas for the organization's improvement: Motivated employees offer fresh ideas to managers and supervisors to improve the company's operations. Laborers or junior staff members who keep the operations running will be able to make valid suggestions on improving the operations.

Motivation and empowerment give employees the boost to produce well. If the employees are not motivated, their performance will be poor. If they are not empowered, they will not grow. Model employees are motivated and empowered and committed to their work. They set goals, offer ideas, have a positive attitude and enhance themselves through training.