Their noses wrinkled, eyes squinted, mouths puckered as if they’d just licked the salt, drank the shot of tequila, and sucked a sour lemon. They despised the word empower because they’d heard it for years in the workforce.
“We should encourage,” they said. “We should encourage others to succeed, never quit, to go for what they want.”
“Okay,” I replied, “consider the proverb ‘Give a man a fish and feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.’ I can encourage anyone to fish, but if they don’t have the resources to learn how, they can’t feed themselves. I empower them by teaching them how to fish and obtain the resources they need; thereby, enabling them to feed themselves. During the learning process, I’m encouraging each step of the way. We should do both.”
*crickets chirping*
When we speak of empowering people, we give them authority or power to do something, or enable them to do something. By giving someone a rod ‘n’ reel, a little bait, and instructions on how to fish, we’re enabling them to feed themselves . They have authority and power to do something about their circumstances.
Encouragement, on the other hand, provides hope or confidence, or support and advice to someone. In essence, we’re “encouraging results.” While they’re learning to fish, we encourage them to continue on, imparting confidence that they can do it.
Throughout my career, I’ve considered my role as a technical trainer and professional educator to be that of a conduit who provides the tools and information learners need, whether I’m teaching adults or teenagers. I help to empower people with knowledge and the necessary skills, and encourage them to apply what they’ve learned to the job or their studies.
I see encouragement as a complement to empowerment, knowing that the two go hand-in-hand.
Empower or encourage? I say we do both.
Resources
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