Businesses only use about 40 percent of their staff’s capabilities in the office, and the biggest obstacle to empowering staff to do more is their own boss, according to consultant Gina Pellegrini.

“Supervisors need to know how to let go and empower their staff to help manage their businesses,” Pellegrini told attendees of the NAIFA 2013 Career Conference and Annual Meeting in San Antonio. Pellegrini offered four ideas to help supervisors work toward that empowerment:

1)      Support: Allow teams to manage the work flow, stay on task and think ahead of their own supervisor.

2)      Protect: Help staff reduce internal and external interruptions, including emails and phone calls.

3)      Filter: Have staff filter calls, mails and voicemails before they reach the boss.

4)      Schedule: Allow staff to maintain the schedule and keep the calendar full with clients, prospects, referrals and incoming calls.