How to empower that self-directed work team

The term Empowerment is used frequently in the media today. Vice President Al Gore talks about empowering America. Unfortunately this is a concept which is interpreted differently by different people. To correct this situation, an operational definition is proposed for the concept of Empowerment. This definition is based on a four phase process for transferring the responsibility for performing tasks down to a more appropriate level in an organization while management retains accountability for outcomes. The four phases are called Contractual, Training, Self-Discipline, and Breakthrough. What is unique about this process is it does not end. In fact it is also a process for continual improvement of standards of performance, method, and behavior.