# The Privilege of Disinclination By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2024-11-26 Empowerment is frequently referenced but seldom defined. The term could be used to describe a multitude of functions and ways of being. Organizationally, empowerment is often used as an ennobling way of discussion initiative. Executives want workers to go beyond the scope of their jobs and proactively do more for the organization. In short, workers are empowered to identify and enact novel solutions on tasks outside their assigned tasks. It should be clear why executives would want this. Doing more is bound to be, at least on average, to the organization's benefit. Empowerment should also contain the privilege of disinclination. Privilege is used here to convey that most people cannot be disinclined to do something. If opportunities are rare, one must seize every opportunity that becomes available. Only those with a nearly endless stream of opportunities have the privilege of disinclination. Those individuals do not need to take advantage of every opportunity. They likely couldn’t take advantage of every opportunity in any coherent way. To develop focus, these individuals need to be selective. Worker empowerment must include the ability to decline and proactively pursue opportunities. Executives will likely need time to adjust to such a conceptualization of empowerment. They might be surprised the first time a worker takes a “hard pass” on an “opportunity.” This is precisely what empowered workers need to be able to do as part of their routine execution of work. Like freedom, empowerment has polarity. Positive empowerment allows one to do things. Negative empowerment allows one to avoid doing things. Executives focus on positive empowerment because they benefit from proactive workers. Executives obfuscate negative empowerment because they reserve the privilege of disinclination for themselves. #### Related Items [[Power]] [[Organization]] [[Opportunity]] [[Individuals]] [[Work]]