You are empowered. Until you decide.
The team is asked to think like owners, take responsibility and move things forward. But every decision needs a manager’s approval. Perhaps another meeting, too. What does the team learn? Not to be braver. To wait.
Trust needs a framework.
In the company culture manuscript, trust does not mean having no rules. People need understandable structures: what they can decide, when to consult others and where the boundaries are. Without that clarity, asking permission becomes insurance against future blame.
A small test for Monday.
Choose one recurring decision. Agree who makes it, what information they need and when they must involve someone else. Then accept that their choice may differ from yours. Responsibility grows where people are actually allowed to carry it.