The Four E's - MAC065

Managing A Career

In today's episode of the ManagingACareer.com podcast, we take a look at a framework you can use to evaluate whether your current role will have a positive impact on your ability to advance your career. This framework is supported by four E's: Enablement, Empowerment, Engagement, and Enthusiasm.

Enablement: The first E is Enablement. In Episode 51 - Success or Failure (https://www.managingacareer.com/51), I use the quote from Alexander Graham Bell, "the only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action." A big factor in your ability to take action is whether or not you are enabled you to perform your role.

Enablement refers to the support you receive to actually perform the duties of your role. Do you have the tools and access you need to be successful? When you face barriers, do your leaders help you break past them? Do you have a clear understanding of the expectations of the role?

If you are a leader or a senior member of the team, how do you enable the rest of your team to perform their duties? Do you provide the documentation and SOPs that junior members require? Review Episode 5 (https://www.managingacareer.com/5) on how Documenting Your Work can help you get ahead. Do you carve out time from your day to mentor others on your team? Review Episode 3 for more insights about Mentoring (https://www.managingacareer.com/3).

When you are enabled, you will have confidence that you can be successful in your current role. When you are enabled, you have the tools you need to be efficient.

Empowerment: The second E is Empowerment. Where Enablement is about having the tools needed to perform your duties, Empowerment is about having the authority to perform your duties. If you have to check in with someone else for every decision you need to make, it can be demoralizing and discouraging. When you are empowered to make decisions, you will take initiative and drive results proactively.

When you have responsibility of others on the team, do you empower them? Delegating decision making can free you up to do more important tasks. It will also lead to team that is more satisfied and more willing to follow your leadership.

Engagement: The third E is Engagement. Engagement is when you feel connected to your work and have a desire to complete your duties at the highest level of quality. When there is a clear link between your role and your company goals you will have a higher level of satisfaction and be more willing to see things through.

When the work you perform aligns with your goals, successful completion will lead to a positive performance review and the rewards and recognition associated with those reviews and ultimately to the advancement you seek.

Enthusiasm: The final E is Enthusiasm. With Engagement being your connection to your company goals, Enthusiasm is your connection to your personal goals. Alignment with your interests and desires makes work easy. You don't need to be convinced to do the work because ultimately, it's what you want to do.

I speak often about the Individual Development Plan and how it can help you identify the path you want your career to take. When your role aligns with your Career Vision (see Episode 37 - https://www.managingacareer.com/37), this linkage will provide personal motivation because you see how it will lead you to your ultimate goal.

As a leader, watch for members of your team who only half-heartedly complete their work. There may be a mismatch between what you are asking them to do and their interests.

Enablement, Empowerment, Engagement, and Enthusiasm. Resulting in Confidence, Initiative, Satisfaction, and Motivation. When your job provides you with all of these factors, career progression is just a matter of time. When any one of them are missing, reach out to your leaders and have a conversation on how, together, you can resolve that.

I would love to hear some stories of how this podcast has helped you in your pursuit of career advancement. Go to the ManagingACareer.com website and leave a message via the Contact form (https://www.managingacareer.com/contact/) or click the button to leave a voicemail via your computer. Tell me which episodes have had the biggest impact for you. If I get enough feedback, I'll start including them in upcoming episodes.