Today's employees want to have a say in the decisions they make day in and day out. The transition of management from primary decision maker to facilitator is a process recognized as employee empowerment. Employee empowerment can be described as a push from the authority to make decisions down to the frontline employees. Instead of responding to orders they receive, these employees get results by taking personal responsibility for their tasks. “Cultures that support empowerment encourage managers to be facilitators, catalysts, coaches, developers, and enablers of others rather than simply decision-making authorities” (McCrimmon Ph.D., 2011). In today's business era, organizations are looking for that extra edge to enable them to outperform competitors and gain market share. An important factor that directly correlates with an organization's performance is employee productivity. So, the next question most of us ask is “How can I improve employee productivity?” Today, there are many companies that believe in the philosophy that giving more power to employees will improve productivity and offer other benefits as well. This philosophy is based on the theory that when employees are empowered to take control and make decisions, they feel more capable, confident and determined to work more effectively and efficiently. As a result of these business practices, staff become much more productive. To solidify your understanding of why companies choose to embrace employee empowerment, you must first realize the benefits associated with employee empowerment. Let's take a closer look at some of the positive impacts that employee empowerment can have on an organization's productivity,... middle of paper... leadership style is both: participative and delegative. Participative leaders accept input from one or more group members when making decisions and solving problems, but the leader retains the final say when choices are made. Group members tend to be encouraged and motivated by this leadership style. This leadership style often leads to more effective and accurate decisions, as no leader can be an expert in all areas. Contributing team members with specialized knowledge and expertise creates a more complete basis for decision making. Delegated leaders allow group members to make decisions. This style is best used in situations where the leader needs to rely on qualified employees. The leader cannot be an expert in all situations, which is why it is important to delegate certain tasks to competent and reliable employees. (About.com Psychology.)