Making empowered decisions means taking risks. Many employees fear being reprimanded, or even fired, for making what management might view as a bad decision.

They fear that, if employees are empowered to make decisions, their roles in the organization will be diminished or eliminated.

You can't tie employees' hands with cumbersome policies and procedures and expect them to provide exceptional service. It's also important to let employees know that it is OK to make a mistake in the process of working to win customer satisfaction.

Recognition is another important element of empowerment. Employees who make empowered decisions should be recognized and rewarded. Celebrate them. Feature them in the company publication. Give them a prime parking spot near the front door for a week. Throw a pizza party. By doing so, you are sending a message to the rest of the workforce that empowerment is important.

[That means, of course, that management must treat its employees well.] If you treat employees nicely, ... you're not a good person in the business world, unfortunately.

It is important for our employees within NASA to understand that they can appeal a decision by their management. There is a path for everyone to appeal a decision that he or she believes is wrong, and there will be no retribution for appealing.