The Empowerment Gap: Why CSMs Don’t Feel Empowered (Even When Leaders Think They Are)

I’ve coached hundreds of Customer Success Managers over the years. Different companies, different products, different regions, different markets. Yet the same pattern appears over and over again.

CSMs do not feel empowered.

They are not empowered to say no.

They are not empowered to drive change.

They are not empowered to raise red flags.

They are not empowered to make tough decisions.

They are not empowered to prioritize for their customers.

They are not empowered to deviate from the playbook, even when the situation requires it.

And here’s the twist.

When I speak with leaders, they insist their teams are empowered.

They’ll say things like:

“My team knows I trust them.”

“I expect them to lead out.”

“They should make the right decisions for the business.”

So the question becomes:

If leaders believe their teams are empowered, but CSMs don’t feel empowered, where is the disconnect?

To unpack this, I like to start with the real definition of empowerment. Not the corporate buzzword version, but the actual one.

According to Merriam-Webster:

Empowered: having the knowledge, confidence, means, or ability to do things or make decisions for oneself.

Four components:

Knowledge.

Confidence.

Means.

Ability.

That definition alone exposes the gap.

Most companies say they empower their CSMs, but they rarely equip them with all four ingredients. And without all four, empowerment is not real. It is performative. It is aspirational. It is incomplete.

So what is really happening inside organizations that creates this disconnect?

1. Lack of Trust

Sometimes leaders don’t trust their CSMs to make the right decision.

Maybe a past situation shook their confidence.

Maybe they haven’t seen enough evidence to believe someone is capable.

Maybe they have been burned before.

Whether the lack of trust is intentional or subconscious, CSMs feel it. And when people can sense doubt, they pull back. They play smaller. They ask for permission instead of taking initiative.

2. Lack of Knowledge

Empowerment requires context. Period.

If CSMs lack visibility into the broader business, product depth, industry dynamics, forecasts, or strategic priorities, they cannot make the right decisions. They end up operating in the dark, guessing their way through situations where clarity should exist.

A CSM who understands the full picture makes better decisions. A CSM who doesn’t asks for approval at every turn.

3. Lack of Resources

Even the most capable CSM cannot be “empowered” if they don’t have the tools or support to execute.

Rigid processes.

Siloed data.

Limited access to customer information.

Partially implemented technology.

Not enough time.

Not enough headcount.

Not enough cross-functional alignment.

You cannot tell someone to “own the outcome” while tying their hands behind their back.

This Isn’t Just a “Team Morale” Issue

Here is the real cost of failing to empower your CSMs:

It slows innovation.

It limits your ability to disrupt your market.

It reduces your capacity to grow.

It destroys morale.

It burns people out.

It drives away top performers.

And it damages your brand from the inside out.

This is not a small cultural issue. This is a business-impacting problem.

Fixing This Won’t Solve Everything, But It Will Solve Something Big

I’m not suggesting that empowering your CSMs will magically fix every operational or product challenge inside your organization.

But I am saying that strengthening trust, increasing knowledge, removing resource constraints, and truly enabling your team to make decisions without fear will change outcomes. Dramatically.

So What Should Leaders Do?

Ask yourself:

Are my CSMs truly empowered?

Do I trust them to do what needs to get done?

Do they have the knowledge, confidence, means, and ability to act?

And if the answer is no, or even “I’m not sure,” then the next step is simple:

Do the work. Bridge the gap. Create the conditions where empowerment is possible for every CSM on your team.

And What About Individual Contributors?

If you are a CSM reading this:

Raise your hand.

Have the tough conversation.

Tell your leader what is getting in your way.

Share where you feel blocked.

Speak up about missing context or resources.

Ask for what you need to do your job at the highest level.

Yes, it is easier said than done.

Yes, it requires vulnerability.

And yes, it may feel uncomfortable.

But it is the only way empowerment becomes real instead of assumed.

It is time we address the elephant in the room.

Empowerment is not a speech.

It is a system.

It is a practice.

It is earned.

It is built.

And it is absolutely essential for Customer Success teams who want to operate at their full potential.