Building Empowered Teams: How's Your Ripple Effect?

Last week, during an event planning session, my colleague Dianne and I found ourselves reminiscing about our past roles on leadership committees. Naturally, the conversation wandered into the realm of leadership transitions, the always tricky business of handing over the reins to incoming committee members. Now, if you know me, you’ll know I can’t resist a good metaphor to bring a theory to life (trainer DNA and all). That’s when Dianne hit me with one of those analogies that makes you sit up and think. It was a gem passed down by her father in Dianne's early days in IT leadership: simple and powerful.

“Imagine dipping your finger into a glass of water,” says Dianne. “As soon as you pull it out, the water rushes back, leaving no trace of your finger. But what truly matters are the ripples you leave behind.”

In leadership, we’re not aiming to leave a gap when we step away, but to empower our teams so they fill the space and thrive on their own. The question isn’t whether we’re missed when we’re gone; it’s whether the ripples of our leadership continue to create positive impact.

The Power of Empowering Teams

Dianne’s metaphor got me thinking back to my early career in finance. Month ends were notoriously busy periods, with hectic deadlines, manual processes, and constant pressure. But I had a personal goal: to build a finance team that could run month end without me.

I recall I’ll never forget the first time I put that goal to the test. My BHAG (well if felt like it at the time!) was taking off Melbourne Cup Day and heading to the Eagle Farm Track to try my luck with the local turf accountants (aka bookies), while my accounting team worked the month end numbers. It was a defining moment. They managed everything like pros. By trusting and empowering them, I wasn’t just stepping aside - I was letting them thrive independently.

Creating Lasting Ripples

Like dipping your finger in water, leadership is about creating ripples that continue to influence and inspire even when you’re not there. High-performing teams are the product of empowered leadership, and research supports this. According to Gallup , teams led by managers who focus on engagement and development are 21% more profitable than others. These leaders aren’t just doing the work themselves; they’re creating a culture where people feel motivated, trusted, and capable of taking ownership.

Similarly, Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends Report 2023 shows that organisations that have a strong culture of developing their leaders experience a 37% increase in employee retention and long-term performance. This is because great leadership leaves a lasting mark, even if you’re no longer in the room. You don’t just leave behind tasks to be absorbed by others. Rather they are growing through stretch goals, shadow assignments, and job rotations. You leave behind empowered people who continue to build on the culture and success you helped create.

Empowerment Hacks

Here's a few a thoughts to start on on the steps to creating ripples and not leaving a hole when you step away -

1. Develop the Leaders of Tomorrow: Your greatest ripple effect comes from nurturing the next generation of leaders. Invest in mentoring and coaching your team, partnering on individual development plans (IDPs) with tailored on-the-job experiential learning opportunities so they have the tools and confidence to thrive without you.
2. Empower, Don’t Micromanage: Trust your team to handle the tasks and challenges you would normally take on. My first finance team learned to run month end without me because I trusted them with ownership of the process. Empowerment is about creating a culture that balances autonomy and accountability.
3. Lead with Purpose: According to Gallup research, employees are more engaged when they connect with a clear purpose. Create a shared vision that will continue to ripple through your team, even after you’re gone.

Ripples Beyond the Leader

Dianne’s metaphor, passed down by her father, was a solid anology for empowering leadership. It's not just about filling a role or hitting KPIs, it’s about building a legacy of empowerment. The water may rush back into place when you leave, but the ripples of your influence, whether that’s mentoring future leaders or empowering your team to succeed without you, are what will last.

So, don’t focus on the gap you’ll leave behind. Ask yourself: Are you creating ripples of empowerment that will continue long after you’ve moved on?

And remember, next time you dip your finger in a glass of water, take a moment to reflect. If you’re the leader who keeps sticking your finger in because you’re worried the water won’t fill in without you... it might be time to step back and trust the process.

How’s your ripple effect?

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