By Wilfred H. Drath
Center for Creative Leadership
Summary
Why do many successful managers have trouble empowering their subordinates even though they are sincerely committed to do so? This report suggests that the strengths that have made the managers successful – for instance, the ability to act decisively – may have concomitant weaknesses – for instance, a tendency not to value the opinions of others – that limit their ability to be empowering. To address this, managers must examine their own personal development at the level of personal meaning, and organizations must evolve into institutions that support such development.
Citation
Drath, W. H. (1993). Why managers have trouble empowering: A theoretical perspective based on concepts of adult development (Technical Report No.155). Center for Creative Leadership. https://doi.org/10.35613/ccl.1993.2001
