Farnell's Empowerment Audit

How well established are empowerment and innovation at the moment in your team?

Are you moving forward?

If you’re serious about empowerment and innovation, you will have been systematically implementing these strategies in your team.

How well established are they at the moment?

Be honest! This is an anonymous test, so you will get the most value by answering as honestly as possible.

How do you rate on each of these items?
(0 = Not in place, 1 = Working on it, 2 = Completed)

1. Team language and mindset – are we a team or a department?

   0     1     2

   
   

2. Team guidelines established and signed off

   0     1     2

   
   

3. Meeting guidelines established and signed off on

   0     1     2

   
   

4. Separate out Information sharing, brainstorming/discussion and decision making meetings – a disciplined process to manage meetings and decision making

   0     1     2

   
   

5. Decision making guidelines established and signed off

   0     1     2

   
   

6. Established NBC’s to share with team

   0     1     2

   
   

7. Face to face communication system

   0     1     2

   
   

8. Team audit – self evaluation of team performance and team dynamics

   0     1     2

   
   

9. Individual learning plans – plans for each team members ongoing learning and career development

   0     1     2

   
   

10. Action plans arise from decisions not just discussions with no outcome – who will do what by when as a result of that discussion?

    0     1     2

    
    

11. No committees or steering groups, only project teams

    0     1     2

    
    

12. Project teams arise from discussion of key issues, problems, activities

    0     1     2

    
    

13. Understanding of budget and financial key performance indicators by all the team

    0     1     2

    
    

14. Discussion of financial performance by whole team not just senior person

    0     1     2

    
    

15. Rotation of chairperson – senior manager not always the chairperson

    0     1     2

    
    

16. Project close out and debriefing systematic

    0     1     2

    
    

17. Decisions made by consensus. Therefore team has established Consensus Guidelines

    0     1     2

    
    

18. Develop at least a one page ‘Return on Investment’ calculation for all proposals and ideas

    0     1     2

    
    

19. Training in business and business literacy and financial management

    0     1     2

    
    

20. Induction and handover systematic for all staff and managers

    0     1     2

    
    

21. All team members involved in generating leads – Seagull Strategy

    0     1     2

    
    

22. Solution focus not problem and blame focus of team

    0     1     2

    
    

23. Establish project teams to focus on top 3 issues and opportunities

    0     1     2

    
    

24. Brainstorming of options before discussion of options in meetings

    0     1     2

    
    

25. An involvement mindset – valuing involvement by stakeholders

    0     1     2

    
    

26. Celebration of innovation, progress, project completion

    0     1     2

    
    

27. Involvement of stakeholders in decisions. Customers, staff, suppliers etc.

    0     1     2

    
    

28. Use Formula of the Dreamer to focus on improving KPI performance

    0     1     2

    
    

29. Identifying insanities and impediments then challenge them with new options and solutions

    0     1     2

    
    

30. Regular dialogue between your team and senior managers/directors

    0     1     2

    
    

31. Constantly building the business literacy and business acumen of the team

    0     1     2

    
    

32. Team involved in own rostering, holidays, scheduling, work flows etc.

    0     1     2

    
    

33. Team actively involved in process and system improvement

    0     1     2

    
    

34. Brainstorming how to improve customer service in your section – asking the million dollar questions

    0     1     2

    
    

35. Survey or focus group of your customers wants, needs, frustrations and ways to improve service

    0     1     2

    
    

36. Cross marketing of products and services to other sections/teams

    0     1     2

    
    

37. Collaborating with teams outside your area to market more effectively and improve services

    0     1     2

    
    

38. Generating leads and referrals for your section. A Lead Generation System

    0     1     2

    
    

39. Using benefits and testimonials in your marketing and advertising material

    0     1     2

    
    

40. Making offers to your customers to do more business with you that will benefit them

    0     1     2

    
    

41. Question systems and processes that impede your ability to provide high level customer service

    0     1     2

    
    

42. Question systems and processes that impede your ability to generate more revenue and profit contribution (if that is relevant to your team)

    0     1     2

    
    

43. Focussing on how to develop a lifetime relationship with your clients – brainstorm how you could do that?

    0     1     2

    
    

44. Partnering with suppliers and other teams to improve innovation, products, services – a partnership mindset

    0     1     2

    
    

45. Taking part in at least quarterly Innovation Forums with Board Members and other change agents to discuss innovations, share ideas and strategies and celebrate progress

    0     1     2

    
    

46. Network with other staff, Managers and change agents eg: breakfasts, lunches, bar bees

    0     1     2

    
    

47. To understand that project teams are not about making recommendations they are about implementing solutions and measuring their effectiveness.

    0     1     2

    
    

48. If you say you’re too busy to do any of these, make a list of all the things you do each day or week then ask, ‘Which of these add value and which don’t?’ Work out how not to do the things that don’t add value. Or just stop doing them for 30 days and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised. Alternatively, do the list with your team and ask how those tasks can be shared. If you find your brain constantly saying ‘but we can’t do that..’ you might need a reality check...

    0     1     2

    
    

49. Conducting quarterly or half yearly Innovation Expos where teams share and display their Innovation projects

    0     1     2

    
    

50. Financial Reports presented by non Financial people in a creative, fun way. Rule Number One – avoid boredom and confusion when talking about money and financial reports

    0     1     2