Making Space

Making Space

Poet Robert Herrick used these six words—simple in nature—to declare a profound message: we have only one life and one youth, and both must be enjoyed while they last.

4 min read

Empower staff by encouraging—and respecting—their contributions

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may...”

Book of Wisdom—chapter 2, verse 8

Poet Robert Herrick used these six words—simple in nature—to declare a profound message: we have only one life and one youth, and both must be enjoyed while they last. Better known in its Latin form, “Carpe Diem” (seize the day), this sentiment has become a war cry for people who are energized by dissecting new ideas or processes. However, I’ve always viewed it as a signal to keep an open mind and respect each person’s contribution, so those with clear ideas feel free to speak out and use the contribution productively. Only then can the rosebuds be gathered and admired. 

Training That Matters

Early in my career, I was asked to attend many conferences and seminars. I didn’t mind the half-day commitments or even occasional full-day sessions, but two- or three-day events seemed like a lot of wasted time, functioning more like social gatherings. Sure, I may have picked up a tip or two, but I always believed the real work happened at home, and much of my value to the company came from grinding out daily challenges with my team.



I mentioned this to my supervisor, and he understood—to a point. He believed it was beneficial to share ideas with other professionals at conferences but admitted he too planned to cut back on the extended overnighters in the coming years. Not that either of us thought we had nothing left to learn; it just seemed it was someone else’s turn to grow.

I had a similar discussion with my staff. I explained that we would still have a budget for travel and seminars, but I’d rather they spent more on activities that interested them or specific lessons that could enhance their performance. Possible training options included computer skills, organizational skills, development of empowerment, and more. Their response was substantial—staff members found relevant lessons and teachable demonstrations that brought immediate and direct improvement to the department. I was pleased that the adjustment bore such immediate fruit. I also noticed that time away from the office invigorated workers upon their return. These results were possible because I had a supervisor who allowed for his staff’s constant contributions, from the smallest notion to the grandest ideas. He listened more than he talked.

Seats At The Table

Another part of my job as purchasing director involved attending monthly board meetings and defending my budget expenditures (e.g., tractors, road salt, office supplies, etc.). Only after board approval was my staff able to contact successful bidders and begin enacting contracts.



It occurred to me that they never saw what the approval process entailed. Therefore, I began rotating the staff through board meetings so they could accompany me as observers. This made things much clearer down the road, and also alerted the staff to certain contract caveats the board found particularly important.

Over the years, other departments followed this example and began bringing support staff (as guest observers) to witness the intricacies of board machinations. By providing a firsthand account, processes became clearer, and productivity increased. Again, it wasn’t complicated; I merely developed ideas to foster greater inclusion and empower staff to gather their own bits and pieces of knowledge.

Empowerment Through Ideas

One day, a staff member returned to work from a doctor’s appointment and asked to see me. At the doctor’s office, he noticed a magazine rack made of clear plastic. The titles could be seen when the books were racked. He noted that some of our more complicated purchasing forms required signatures and couldn’t be sent by computer. For those, he suggested purchasing one of the magazine racks and filling it with the ten forms that required signatures. People wouldn’t need to see any of our staff to get the form needed. This technique caught on throughout the company. It could have been treated as a silly idea, but it was so simple, so smart, and so welcome. This employee wasn’t only allowed to think out of the box but was encouraged to do so.



In another instance, I interviewed candidates for a buyer position; I had three applicants scheduled for the same day. The Human Resources representative who was due to sit in fell ill, but I did not want to cancel all three appointments. I asked HR for permission to bring in a field manager for the interviews—permission was granted. As a direct user of our purchasing system, the field manager had great questions for the applicants, and his insights influenced who we eventually hired. We retooled our process and used a field manager for all future interviews. This prime example of inclusion also broadened the insights of leaders better-qualified to spot valuable candidates.

It may seem repetitive, but my message continues—I encourage the utilization of technology but only when it’s accompanied by strong human guidance. While the world discusses, and in some cases fears, the proliferation of AI, I still count on the opinions, contributions, and observations of real people. A friend recently revealed his voicemail app screens the spirit and/or stress in the voices of people who leave him messages, and before he returns the call, AI suggests how he should emotionally respond given the signals transmitted by a voice’s timbre and rhythm of speech. I guess that information is useful and has its place, but what if the caller was simply having a bad day? Should my impression of him be tainted by one call? I don’t think so.

I prefer to stick with the belief and power of people going about their lives, picking up ideas, openly sharing them, and feeling empowered to express themselves. As a supervisor, I believe it is a leader’s responsibility to create such an environment and let the human spirit drive results with passion.