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Empowerment

5 minutes 5 Questions

Empowerment within coaching and mentoring is the act of giving team members the authority, resources, opportunity, and motivation to take on responsibilities and make decisions. By making an individual or team self-reliant and allowing them to shape their work and approach problems in the way they …

Empowerment Guide: PMI-ACP Coaching and Mentoring within Teams

What is Empowerment:
Empowerment within a team refers to the process of enhancing the capacity of team members to make decisions and to transform those decisions into desired actions and outcomes. It equips them with the autonomy to manage their roles and responsibilities more effectively.

Importance of Empowerment:
Empowerment is vital as it increases the team's self-confidence where team members feel valued. It inspires creativity, innovation, improved performance, better problem-solving skills, and gives a sense of ownership and accountability.

How does it work? :
Empowerment works through the delegation of authority, communication of clear goals and responsibilities, provision of required resources, and creation of an environment that encourages learning and growth.

Exam Tips - Answering Questions on Empowerment :
Keep in mind that empowerment is about providing authority, responsibility, and trust to team members. When answering questions, focus on how empowerment fosters collaboration, motivates team members, and improves overall team performance. Understand that a fully empowered team implies a high level of trust from the management. Suggest practices such as delegation, recognition of achievements, provision of learning opportunities, and creation of a safe environment for taking risks.

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PMI-ACP - Empowerment Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Empowerment

Question 1

Your team feels micro-managed and lacks the confidence to make decisions. What approach will empower them the most?

Delegate authority and provide clear guidance on decision-making boundaries Implement more management checkpoints to ensure correct decisions are made Ask team members to vote on all decisions Ignore the issue and hope it resolves on its own Tell the team there will be no consequences for bad decisions Make all decisions yourself to expedite the process

Correct Answer: Delegate authority and provide clear guidance on decision-making boundaries

Delegating authority and providing clear decision-making boundaries allows team members the autonomy to make decisions within their area of expertise while keeping overall project goals in mind. Making decisions yourself, adding management checkpoints, ignoring the issue, or voting do not foster empowerment or address the root cause of the problem.

Question 2

A team member has shown interest in improving their skills with a coding language that the team heavily relies on. How can you, as a Scrum Master, empower them?

Suggest they undertake a comprehensive online course outside of work hours to prevent disruption to the sprint. Organize a session for knowledge sharing within the team, where they can present new insights and practices regarding the coding language. Arrange for a formal training session with an external expert during the team's work hours. Instruct them to document their learning journey on the team's knowledge base without allocating specific time for learning or discussion.

Correct Answer: Organize a session for knowledge sharing within the team, where they can present new insights and practices regarding the coding language.

Empowering the team member by organizing a session for knowledge sharing not only supports their desire to improve but also enhances team synergy and collective growth. Formal training during work hours, while beneficial, may not be feasible due to project constraints or budget limitations and shifts the learning focus to an external party. Suggesting comprehensive courses for independent study outside work hours fails to acknowledge the work-life balance and might lead to burnout. Instructing them to document their learning without providing time for learning or discussion might result in a lack of engagement or real understanding. The correct approach encourages continuous improvement and promotes learning as part of the work process, leveraging the Scrum value of openness and the principle of collective ownership for team development.

Question 3

As a Scrum Master, you notice a team member is very independent and effective when working alone, but they struggle in team environments. How can you empower them?

Ask them to work only on independent tasks. Gradually increase their involvement in teamwork and provide constant support until they are comfortable working collaboratively. Offer them the opportunity to work from home permanently. Ask them to lead a team project without previous support.

Correct Answer: Gradually increase their involvement in teamwork and provide constant support until they are comfortable working collaboratively.

The best answer is 'Gradually increase their involvement in teamwork and provide constant support until they are comfortable working collaboratively.' In Agile methodologies like Scrum, teamwork and collaboration are key elements. An independent and efficient worker should be encouraged to collaborate more, to maximize their contribution and improve the overall performance of the team. The Scrum Master can help by gradually increasing their involvement in collaborative tasks and providing constant support, which would encourage active participation without creating undue pressure The answer 'Ask them to work only on independent tasks.' is not ideal because it isolates the member from the rest of the team. It could lead to a disconnect and does not solve the issue of their struggle in team environments The suggestion 'Ask them to lead a team project without previous support.' could be counterproductive. Leading a team without prior experience or help could lead to overwhelm and can heighten their struggle with teamwork The last option 'Offer them the opportunity to work from home permanently.' is not practical or effective in addressing the issue. Working from home permanently might increase their isolation, making collaboration even more difficult.

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