Why Your Employees Aren’t Actually Empowered

Agency Patterns and Pivots
Written By Brian Kessman

“I’ve told my employees they’re empowered, but I’m not seeing it.”

I’ve heard this sentiment from a few CEOs, but to foster an empowering environment in your agency, make sure to add 3 other key ingredients.

1. Trust

As an agency leader, you have positional authority. But what’s it like to be on the other side of your message of empowerment?

Not all employees will feel they have the same authority because you said so. They’ll first need to feel they’re in a safe environment to color outside of the lines and potentially step on some toes.

I see agencies with empowered staff when the leadership team has worked hard at intentionally building trustful relationships with employees.

2. Guidance

In the wise words of Peter Parker, with great power comes great responsibility. As an empowered employee, how do I know what actions are truly “safe” to take?

A blank check for action can create more questions than action. Provide guidelines for clarity and to build confidence to act, such as:

  • How can I improve our client’s experience?

  • How can I help other teams?

  • How can I enhance the integration of work across teams?

  • How can I elevate our creativity, quality of work, or ability to innovate?

  • How can I impact our revenue or expenses?

3. Recognition

Support momentum by removing blockers and celebrate action, bravery, and learning every chance you get.

Brian Kessman

Brian Kessman works with agency leaders who are ready to think differently and unlock their firm’s full growth potential.

As Lodestar's founder and principal consultant, Brian helps agencies move beyond billable hours and commoditized services to scalable, profitable models centered on client outcomes.

His strategies tackle the toughest agency growth challenges: redefining market position to attract premium clients; developing value-led pricing approaches to increase deal size; and creating diverse revenue streams for predictable income.

His programs deliver results. A full-service agency nearly doubled revenue from premium clients (from 36% to 73%) and increased overall income by 39%. A content agency grew a retainer deal size by 50%. Other firms boosted margins by optimizing their client mix, redesigning their offerings, and modernizing operations.

Brian is an inaugural member of the 4As Expert Network, and his transformative approach has been shared across the industry through presentations for Mirren, the 4A’s, AMIN, Magnet, Worldcom, and other top industry organizations. Combining hands-on and advisory expertise, he is a trusted partner to leadership teams looking to break free from outdated models and thrive in an era of disruption.

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