Empowerment Scenarios

Part 1

Scenario 1 Nancy

Given that Nancy has already demonstrated her competence as an employee and her willingness to learn new things, I believe it would be beneficial to empower her to take on additional responsibilities. Specifically, allowing her to help the assistant prosecutors put their case files together would provide her with more job satisfaction and allow her to make better use of her skills. Additionally, it would free up some of the assistants' time so that they could focus on other tasks. Overall, empowering Nancy to take on additional responsibilities would be a win-win situation for both her and the office.

Scenario 2 Richard

After giving the matter some thought, I have decided to empower Richard by giving him a significant project to pursue. I believe that Richard has the talent and experience to do just about anything, and that a significant project or responsibility will help him to keep his attitude in line. I would identify an enterprise for him to pursue that would allow him to use his talents and experience to their fullest potential. Hopefully, this would help Richard to be more positive and productive in his work, and less negative and critical of others.

Scenario 3 Angie

Currently, there are no open positions in the investigative division. However, one way to empower Angie to take on more investigative responsibility is to provide her with additional training so that she is ready when those opportunities do arise. This could include formal courses or workshops on investigation methods and techniques. Additionally, pairing her with a mentor from the investigative division would give her the opportunity to gain valuable first-hand experience. By investing in Angie's development, the department can reap the benefits of having a motivated and experienced detective on the force.

Scenario 4 Steve

Steve needs some work taken off his plate and given to others. By delegating some of Steves responsibilities to other members of the department, I could free up his time so that he can focus on the parking plan. For example, sergeants could be responsible for monitoring student workers and maintaining the property and evidence room. Additionally, fraternities and sororities could be asked to liaise with each other instead of relying on Steve to mediate. This would allow Steve to focus on...…delegation are both extremely important principles in a criminal justice organization. When used effectively, they can have a positive impact on a wide range of organizational outcomes.

The employees in the scenarios in Part 1 are all ready for empowerment. Typically, one looks at several factors first, such as:

They are competent and knowledgeable about their job.

They are proactive and take initiative.

They are able to handle responsibility well.

They are able to work independently and as part of a team.

But in some cases, employees are demotivated because they are not challenged, so they may not be proactive. Still, if they are competent yet dormant, they can and should be empowered. Empowerment means giving employees the authority to make decisions and take action without prior approval. This can be a scary proposition for some managers, but it is essential for creating a high-performing team. If a criminal justice organization wants to succeed, it needs to have a staff that is both skilled and motivated. However, simply hiring competent workers is not always enough or possible. In order to truly unlock a teams potential, managers need to know to empower…