We can empower other people by having positive expectations for them. This was the point of a play called Pygmalion that was renamed My Fair Lady. A professor bets a friend that he can take a flower seller and make her into a lady. As he trains her to speak better English, he also empowers her with his positive expectations that she can pass as a lady. She believes him, submits to his vocal training and later, succeeds to pass as a lady at a ball. The professor wins his bet and falls in love doing it.

This is a story of self-fulfilling prophecy. The professor continually expected the flower lady to learn and succeed, and she fulfilled his expectations. There is a training film based on this self-fulfilling prophecy effect called the Pygmalion Effect. It tells the true story of a manager who bets that he can turn a janitor into a manager. I know some of you are saying, “That must be my boss.” No in this case, it works and the janitor becomes a good boss.

What worked was that the manager continually told the janitor that he had what it takes. He just needed some training. The janitor believed the manager, followed his suggestions, and became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

If you ask around, you will find people who can tell you their own stories about being empowered by someone who believed in them. They will often use exactly those words, “X believed in me.” And X acted accordingly. You have to act as if you believe in their potential.

Of course, companies institutionalize this in the way they put some individuals on the “fast track.” These individuals are expected to succeed. And they get extra attention, mentoring, experiences, and resources to help them. I was fortunate to be on the fast track of a company that recruited me out of Harvard Business School. They put me into a line management job that I was not qualified for. I made several goofs, but my boss’s manager kept telling me that I would improve and to keep learning.

I supervised 150 people with 10 department managers reporting to me. Many of them took pity on me and taught me things I didn’t know because I had not come up through the ranks. At one point I remember being discouraged and told my boss that I was considering quitting. He said, “Don’t do that. I know you can become one of the best managers in the company.” I was shocked that he thought I could rise so far. He had not picked me. He had me dumped on him via the fast track program. But he applied the same positive expectations to me that the corporate office had. I believed him and the others, and it worked. I am grateful for all those people who empowered me.

How can you make use of this self-fulfilling prophecy process? Look for the potential of anyone you want to empower. Describe that potential to the person repeatedly. Sincerely, convince them that they can rise to their potential. As needed, supply training or resources.

Our individual and Group Executive Coaching (http://www.EmotionallyIntelligentLeadership.com),
and Self-Study Program (http://www.eaglealliance.com/services/gec/ssinfo/)
can help you learn how to empower people with positive expectations.