Provide a peer response to your classmate, Brodi's discussion post below.

"Hello class,

When we talk about improving performance in public organizations, one word that keeps coming up is empowerment. But what does that really mean for employees, and why does it matter? Research shows there's a pretty clear connection between empowerment and how well people do their jobs. When employees feel trusted to make decisions and have the tools and authority to act, they're more motivated, more engaged, and just generally more effective (Rainey, Fernandez, & Malatesta, 2021).

That said, empowerment doesn't look the same for everyone. For folks in front-line roles, empowerment might mean being trusted to handle situations on the spot without needing constant approval. For managers or leaders, it's more about having the freedom to set direction and make strategic decisions. So, how empowerment plays out really depends on where someone sits in the organization (Rainey et al., 2021).

Eric Liu talks a lot about power and how we tend to think of it as something only a few people have (Liu, 2017). But in reality, power isn't limited, it can be shared and grown. In organizations, that means the more we teach people how to use power responsibly, the more effective and inclusive the workplace becomes. Liu (2019) also argues that if we want to rebuild belief in democratic systems, we need to help people see that they can make a difference and the same goes for workplaces. If employees feel like their voice counts, they're more likely to care about the work and do it well.

But here's the thing, just giving people power or responsibility isn't enough. We also need to make space for real conversations, especially when people disagree. Eve Pearlman (2019) makes a great point in her TED Talk: meaningful conversations require empathy, curiosity, and a willingness to listen. In organizations, that kind of dialogue builds trust, and trust is the foundation of any empowered team.

So, the takeaway? Empowerment is powerful, but it works best when it's paired with communication, clarity, and a shared sense of purpose. When people understand how power works, they feel like they're part of the bigger picture, and can speak up without fear, performance naturally follows.

References

Liu, E. (2017). How to understand power [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/eric_liu_how_to_understand_power

Liu, E. (2019). How to revive your belief in democracy [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/eric_liu_how_to_reignite_your_humanity_in_a_time_of_division

Pearlman, E. (2019). How to lead a conversation between people who disagree [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/eve_pearlman_how_to_lead_a_conversation_between_people_who_disagree

Rainey, H. G., Fernandez, S., & Malatesta, D. (2021). Understanding and managing public organizations (6th ed.). Wiley."