{"id":96329,"date":"2023-03-19T14:34:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-19T18:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=96329"},"modified":"2026-01-22T21:52:31","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T01:52:31","slug":"how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Empower Employees as a Leader: 3 Effective Ways"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Want to know how to empower employees<\/a> as a leader? What are some of the methods that experts recommend?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Coaching for Performance<\/em>, Sir John Whitmore explains three ways to empower employees<\/a> as a leader, claiming that using these methods will allow your employees to flourish and reach their full potential. His approach to empowering employees is strengths-based and non-judgemental.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on to learn how to empower employees as a leader, according to Whitmore’s three methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Empowering Employees as a Leader<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Coaching for Performance<\/em>, Sir John Whitmore explains how to empower employees as a leader, arguing that you must nurture three qualities to bring out your employees’ full potential. These qualities are self-confidence, awareness of self and others, and ownership of their work<\/strong>. In this article, we’ll explain how to empower your employees by nurturing these qualities as a leader, based on the advice in Coaching for Performance<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: In Turn the Ship Around<\/em><\/a>, L. David Marquet<\/a> argues that for workers to perform at their peak, leaders need to not just empower<\/em> but free<\/em> them<\/a> to apply their talents, energy, and creativity\u2014which ultimately endows them with a sense of internal power.)  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1: Build Self-Confidence <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whitmore says that one of the best ways to empower employees as a leader is to foster their self-confidence. He claims that coaching naturally cultivates a positive cycle of self-belief in the following way: Employees set and achieve small goals in pursuit of a larger end goal, creating a series of successes that they attribute to their efforts<\/strong>. This builds their confidence in what they\u2019re doing and encourages them to continue forward on a positive path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further, these successes make employees feel they have coaches\u2019 trust and respect. This strengthens their sense that they\u2019re able to make good decisions on their own and encourages them to continue to take ownership of their actions and work.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: In Lean In<\/em><\/a>, Sheryl Sandberg says that lack of confidence harms women pursuing leadership paths. Many experience \u201cimpostor syndrome,\u201d which makes them feel undeserving and constantly on the verge of being exposed as frauds. Women are more likely than men to attribute their success to luck and to internalize negative feedback, lowering their self-confidence. To shake impostor syndrome<\/a>, women should acknowledge that it\u2019s a distortion of reality, \u201cfake it till they make it,\u201d and seize opportunities rather than wait for them.)\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2: Build Attunement to Self and Others<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As a leader, another way to empower employees is to help them become attuned to\u2014or aware of\u2014their own and others\u2019 feelings and situations. Self-attunement helps your employee consider their emotions and biases so they can make conscious decisions about how to act\u2014and avoid reacting\u2014in the heat of the moment<\/strong>. This self-regulation supports their ability to act in ways that foster healthy working relationships, says Whitmore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, say your partner calls you at work and yells that you left dishes in the sink. When you get off the call, you\u2019re aware that you\u2019re furious and likely to snap at the next person you see. But you know that lashing out at colleagues would damage your working relationships, so you take a deep breath, acknowledge that you\u2019re irritated, and take a walk to clear your head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Psychologists agree that practicing awareness can make you less reactive in the moment and better able to manage situations. Further, when you regularly<\/em> engage your awareness when you\u2019re fearful or anxious, you can <\/strong>reprogram your brain<\/strong><\/a> for the better<\/strong>. So, if your mind is racing, focus on a single sense\u2014like how something tastes or smells\u2014to dampen the release of stress hormones. Also, be aware of deeply embedded, cognitive distortions that mess with your mind and well-being. For example, look for thoughts about what you \u201cshould\u201d do (the root of perfectionism) and replace them with rational thoughts.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, attunement to others\u2019 emotions and circumstances enables your employee to gather information about conditions that impact their colleagues and their work together<\/strong>, which further improves their performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you\u2019re aware that a particular client annoys your boss, and that client comes to meet with your boss on a day you\u2019d planned to pitch an idea to them, you\u2019ll know to wait to pitch that idea until the next day when your boss may be in a better mood and more receptive to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: While there\u2019s value in being aware of others\u2019 emotions and situations, some coaches say there are times when you should ignore others<\/a>\u2014like when they\u2019re struggling. For example, you may be inclined to rescue a colleague buried in work, but people often learn the most when they go through a struggle and come out the other side on their own. So, rather than rush in, be peripherally aware of their situation and jump in only if they truly need it.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whitmore recommends developing awareness of self and others through meditation<\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Whitmore doesn\u2019t explain in detail how to meditate<\/a>. To do a sitting meditation, follow these steps<\/a>: 1) Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, hands in your lap. 2) Notice your breath flowing in and out of your nose. 3) If thoughts or physical sensations arise, mentally note them, then draw your attention back to your breath.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3: Build Accountability and Ownership<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whitmore says that, as a leader, you can help employees develop an accountability and ownership mindset<\/a> to empower them and increase their commitment to their work. When workers feel they have ownership of their goals and can decide the best way to accomplish them, they\u2019re motivated to do their best<\/strong>, which improves their performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To build your employee’s sense of accountability and ownership, follow these three tips to ask engaging questions that allow you to gather information about what\u2019s important to them: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 1: Ask open-ended questions<\/strong>. Open-ended questions yield more candid, detailed answers than yes or no questions, which typically prompt one-word answers and shut conversations down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 2: Use non-judgmental words.<\/strong> Use non-critical language to cultivate trust, create a safe space for your employee to open up, signal interest, and gather information. Words that foster positive engagement include, \u201cWhat?\u201d \u201cWhen?\u201d \u201cWho?\u201d and \u201cHow many?\u201d For example, \u201cWhat are your thoughts on this issue?\u201d and \u201cWhen do you think is a good time to take action on this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 3: Follow broad questions with detailed questions to pursue your employee\u2019s interests<\/strong>. Once you have a big-picture understanding of what your employee is saying, ask more in-depth questions to prompt them to think more deeply about what matters to them. The more they talk about things they care about, the more engaged they\u2019ll be in the coaching process, and the more interested they\u2019ll be in taking ownership of their work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Want to know how to empower employees as a leader? What are some of the methods that experts recommend? In Coaching for Performance, Sir John Whitmore explains three ways to empower employees as a leader, claiming that using these methods will allow your employees to flourish and reach their full potential. His approach to empowering employees is strengths-based and non-judgemental. Read on to learn how to empower employees as a leader, according to Whitmore’s three methods.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":69247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,34,14],"tags":[949],"class_list":["post-96329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-communication","category-management","tag-coaching-for-performance","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Empower Employees as a Leader: 3 Effective Ways - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How can you empower your employees as a leader? Learn to use a strengths-based approach to help your employees reach their full potential.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Empower Employees as a Leader: 3 Effective Ways\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How can you empower your employees as a leader? Learn to use a strengths-based approach to help your employees reach their full potential.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortform Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-03-19T18:34:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-23T01:52:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-huddle.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1158\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"623\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Emily Kitazawa\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Emily Kitazawa\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Emily Kitazawa\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e094024454c7d3334a149c0cf039bdeb\"},\"headline\":\"How to Empower Employees as a Leader: 3 Effective Ways\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-19T18:34:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-23T01:52:31+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/\"},\"wordCount\":1155,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-huddle.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Coaching for Performance\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Business\",\"Communication\",\"Management\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/\",\"name\":\"How to Empower Employees as a Leader: 3 Effective Ways - Shortform Books\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-huddle.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-19T18:34:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-23T01:52:31+00:00\",\"description\":\"How can you empower your employees as a leader? Learn to use a strengths-based approach to help your employees reach their full potential.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-huddle.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-huddle.jpg\",\"width\":1158,\"height\":623},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Empower Employees as a Leader: 3 Effective Ways\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"description\":\"The World's Best Book Summaries\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":74,\"caption\":\"Shortform Books\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e094024454c7d3334a149c0cf039bdeb\",\"name\":\"Emily Kitazawa\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f5c60fcdcf3b7cd02c2882334c15a3d02f74a69631c696c3bce47deb21dc9ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f5c60fcdcf3b7cd02c2882334c15a3d02f74a69631c696c3bce47deb21dc9ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Emily Kitazawa\"},\"description\":\"Emily found her love of reading and writing at a young age, learning to enjoy these activities thanks to being taught them by her mom\u2014Goodnight Moon will forever be a favorite. As a young adult, Emily graduated with her English degree, specializing in Creative Writing and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), from the University of Central Florida. She later earned her master\u2019s degree in Higher Education from Pennsylvania State University. Emily loves reading fiction, especially modern Japanese, historical, crime, and philosophical fiction. Her personal writing is inspired by observations of people and nature.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/emily-kitazawa\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Empower Employees as a Leader: 3 Effective Ways - Shortform Books","description":"How can you empower your employees as a leader? Learn to use a strengths-based approach to help your employees reach their full potential.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Empower Employees as a Leader: 3 Effective Ways","og_description":"How can you empower your employees as a leader? Learn to use a strengths-based approach to help your employees reach their full potential.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/","og_site_name":"Shortform Books","article_published_time":"2023-03-19T18:34:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-23T01:52:31+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1158,"height":623,"url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-huddle.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Emily Kitazawa","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Emily Kitazawa","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/"},"author":{"name":"Emily Kitazawa","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e094024454c7d3334a149c0cf039bdeb"},"headline":"How to Empower Employees as a Leader: 3 Effective Ways","datePublished":"2023-03-19T18:34:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-23T01:52:31+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/"},"wordCount":1155,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-huddle.jpg","keywords":["Coaching for Performance"],"articleSection":["Business","Communication","Management"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/","name":"How to Empower Employees as a Leader: 3 Effective Ways - Shortform Books","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-huddle.jpg","datePublished":"2023-03-19T18:34:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-23T01:52:31+00:00","description":"How can you empower your employees as a leader? Learn to use a strengths-based approach to help your employees reach their full potential.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-huddle.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-huddle.jpg","width":1158,"height":623},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-empower-employees-as-a-leader\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Empower Employees as a Leader: 3 Effective Ways"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","name":"Shortform Books","description":"The World's Best Book Summaries","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Shortform Books","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","width":500,"height":74,"caption":"Shortform Books"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e094024454c7d3334a149c0cf039bdeb","name":"Emily Kitazawa","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f5c60fcdcf3b7cd02c2882334c15a3d02f74a69631c696c3bce47deb21dc9ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f5c60fcdcf3b7cd02c2882334c15a3d02f74a69631c696c3bce47deb21dc9ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Emily Kitazawa"},"description":"Emily found her love of reading and writing at a young age, learning to enjoy these activities thanks to being taught them by her mom\u2014Goodnight Moon will forever be a favorite. As a young adult, Emily graduated with her English degree, specializing in Creative Writing and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), from the University of Central Florida. She later earned her master\u2019s degree in Higher Education from Pennsylvania State University. Emily loves reading fiction, especially modern Japanese, historical, crime, and philosophical fiction. Her personal writing is inspired by observations of people and nature.","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/emily-kitazawa\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/team-huddle.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96329"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96329\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":147901,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96329\/revisions\/147901"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}