4.3 Empowerment Profile (EP)
Purpose
The Empowerment Profile (EP) is designed to measure leaders’ perceived power at work and to enhance their understanding of empowerment. It aims to provide a comprehensive view of empowerment within the leader’s work environment by assessing perceptions across eight dimensions: autonomy, climate, control, and influence, among others. Leaders take a self-assessment, and employees take the employee version to provide data on how empowered they feel. This dual approach offers a balanced view of empowerment from both leadership and employee perspectives.
Leaders can use EP results to identify areas where they can enhance empowering behaviors. Organizations can use results to develop training and development programs, and human resource professionals and organizational development specialists might use results to implement strategies that boost overall empowerment and improve workplace dynamics.
Description
The EP was developed by John E. Jones and William L. Bearly, consultants collaborating with Organizational Universe Systems. The tool consists of 40 items. The instrument is based on the theory of group development originally proposed by Jones (1973, 1974). The questionnaire follows a Likert-type scale format, comprising four scales, each with three items. Respondents rate their agreement or perception on each item using a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Eight sub scores are generated: Task behaviors Orientation, Organization, Open Data Flow, Problem Solving Process behaviors, Dependency, Conflict, Cohesion, and Interdependence.
Access
The EP may be accessible via academic journals and research databases, including in the relevant articles listed in the references section. Prior to usage, permission from the authors or copyright holders may be necessary. Contact the authors directly or consult the articles for more information on the availability and permissions.
References
Jones, J.E. (1973). A model of group development. In J. E. Jones & J. W. Pfeiffer (Eds.), The 1973 Annual Handbook for Group Facilitators (pp. 127–129). University Associates.
Jones, J.E. (1974). Group development: A graphic analysis. In J. W. Pfeiffer & J. E. Jones (Eds.), A Handbook of Structured Experiences for Human Relations Training (Vol. I, pp. 76–78). University Associates.
Jones, E. A., & RiCharde, S. (2005). NPEC sourcebook on assessment: Definitions and assessment methods for communication, leadership, information literacy, quantitative reasoning, and quantitative skills (NPEC Publication No. 2005-0832). National Postsecondary Education Cooperative. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/2005832.pdf
