Managing Employee Autonomy Without Losing Control

The "If, Then" leadership style has come back in remote and hybrid work decisions. Here's why it doesn't work and what people leaders can do to get it right. It is that old formula: If you prove you’re more productive, then you get flexibility. The problem? This isn’t leadership. It’s a warranty policy, and it’s got cracks. If you treat people like adults, then they will treat your mission like theirs. If you lead with trust, then the future of work is yours to own. We’ve seen this play out before, even pre-pandemic. There were two flavors of this with different outcomes. The learnings give us insights for success. _______________ Flavor 1. Large established companies flavor. It wasn't clear who got approved for remote work and why. Those who were lucky to get it often became second-class citizens. They faced a persistent need to justify their worth. They had to step up more than their colleagues who were in the office. They were often passed over for promotions and key roles. This was a failure of leadership. It did not build high-performing teams with a strong culture. They lost top talent. _______________ Flavor 2. Startups that were nimble and forward-thinking. They asked, "What if we make remote work the foundation of our growth? We could fund ourselves for longer. If we set clear expectations, accountability, and support for distributed teams, we can make it work. We won't be tied to one location or locked in talent wars in overcrowded cities. And guess what? They thrived. _______________ Here’s the so what for people leaders today: The if-then warranty policy isn’t going to cut it. Three steps to get it right: 1️⃣ Set clear, shared goals with your team. These need to be outcomes for the team to achieve. 2️⃣ Empower your team to set flexible work norms. They should suit both individuals and the team. They should help deliver the desired outcomes. Good people make things work for their teammates. This helps build psychological safety as well. 3️⃣ Be transparent about accountability. Provide real-time feedback if things go off course. Adjust as needed. We can't take flexibility and results for granted. What you will achieve: Your team will not just meet expectations—they will out perform.

Sometimes as a leader, you need to ask yourself “am I the drama?” Nobody likes to be labelled “micromanager” Although the intentions behind micromanagement may vary, the constant is that micromanagement causes significant issues within teams. When leaders share that they have been tagged a micromanager - or maybe you are part of a team led by one - the first step is to slow down and get curious. Rather than falling into the more knee-jerk reaction of defending, armoring up or shutting down; get curious about what is really happening within the dynamics of the relationship. It’s more than a leadership or personality style—in my experience, it could be any of these issues (sometimes, a combination of two or all three) 👉 A struggle for power and autonomy Some individuals naturally gravitate toward an independent work style. While admirable, this approach can sometimes clash with team collaboration. As a leader, your role is to harmonize the needs of the team with the autonomy of the individual. Consider these three approaches to define autonomy effectively: ✅ Set a clear vision for the desired outcome so everyone knows what success looks like. ✅ Touch base early to confirm alignment and direction. ✅ Encourage team members to pause if they're stuck for more than 20 minutes and seek clarity or support. 👉 Broken trust Micromanagement often masks a deeper issue: a lack of trust. Before tightening the reins, reflect on what’s creating the need for excessive oversight. Shane Feldman’s trust framework—caring, sincerity, reliability, and competence—provides a useful lens: ✅ Caring: Do team members grasp the project's importance or how their contributions affect others? ✅ Sincerity: Have actions aligned with commitments? ✅ Reliability: Are deadlines consistently met, and are roadblocks communicated in time? ✅ Competence: Do they have the skills and experience necessary for this task? When trust falters, honest discussions pave the way for rebuilding trust and resetting expectations without resorting to micromanagement. 👉 Broken System Some work environments require strong communication and collaboration frameworks. Without them, leaders may unintentionally micromanage to compensate for systemic inefficiencies. To counteract this, establish transparent processes. For instance, implement structured updates via project management tools or schedule consistent team check-ins. This will reduce oversight while empowering your team to self-manage effectively. If you receive feedback about micromanaging, resist the urge to dismiss it. Self-reflection is a cornerstone of growth. Balance autonomy, nurture trust, and optimize systems to lead with confidence, empathy, and impact. The shift starts with self work. Now ask yourself again after this post: am I the drama? #LeadWithLove #Micromanagement #LeadershipExcellence #TeamTrust #Empowerment #WorkplaceCulture #Unsiloed

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned as a leader? People crave freedom, but not ambiguity. The challenge is finding the balance between giving employees the flexibility to achieve their goals while providing enough direction to ensure they understand the outcomes you want. Freedom is essential for employees (even very senior ones!) to feel ownership over their work. Employees crave decision-making authority - some control over their time, schedule, and outcomes. This autonomy gives a greater sense of accomplishment when they meet their objectives. However, this freedom can backfire… if there is too much ambiguity. Some leaders accidentally create environments of uncertainty, assuming that they are empowering people by leaving them entirely to their own devices. Sometimes they can’t help but share the new idea of the day, pulling teams right then left. However, even senior leaders want to know what they are solving for, and when a goal is ambiguous, it becomes much harder (or even impossible) to accomplish. Leaders have the obligation to communicate a clear objective and outline expectations. With clear parameters, employees understand the stakes and overall objective of their work. Without them, people may define the task in ways that misalign with the organization's goals or become paralyzed by the lack of direction. As a leader, you can strive to create “overlapping paradigms” - enough freedom AND enough clarity on what you want people to accomplish. The balance between these forces creates two important outcomes: accomplished goals and accomplished employees.