Recognizing The Importance Of Team Autonomy

How would the capabilities of your team change if the people on it were given the autonomy and initiative to self-direct, manage and lead themselves? If your people could self-direct and lead themselves, how would this help your role as a leader? And what if your team members came to you with opportunities and helped surface and create effective solutions to many of the company's challenges? Does this sound too good to be true? It would be for most organizations; however, for those willing to discover execution and do the work necessary to implement it, it can become a new standard of operation—a better way to get things done, get the results. A major reason why organizations struggle with autonomy is that they continue to function in a "command and control" style operating environment. As a result we condition team members to wait on direction and guidance versus taking the initiative to lead themselves, and others, to get the necessary work done. This inability to "self-lead and direct" makes any team member indifferent toward leading or afraid to move without first gaining permission from above them. In traditional hierarchies, senior leaders must centralize efforts and exert control over operational functions by managing performance from the top down. This means every initiative or action must originate from the top if it's to get started. This is not only inefficient in practice, it places tremendous pressure on leadership to always have the right idea at the right time. This also creates high amounts of workforce apathy, limited creativity, little to no innovation, and demotivated team members. Among others, this type of leadership also exacerbates generational differences. Millennials, having observed their parents' discontent working within this management paradigm throughout their careers, constrained from leveraging their true talents and abilities, now actively seek alternatives, eschewing traditional hierarchical structures in favor of autonomy and more personally meaningful work. Strategy Execution relies on a workforce that takes ownership of its actions and believes in setting challenging goals while remaining accountable to common objectives. We can actively build autonomy by finding and leveraging individual strengths for the organization's benefit. Great things happen when people are given the authority to make strategic decisions for their role and work area, collaborate openly across business functions, and be intimately involved in the execution of the company's strategy. Allowing teams to manage the execution of the business can be self-motivating and liberating. Finding the intrinsic motivations of your people and then letting them accomplish what you hired them to accomplish would make everyone's life at work better and more meaningful. Focus on rewarding the right behaviors, not driving actions from the top. It will change business as we know it. #ceos #leadership #motivation #execution

Imagine two employees: Alex and Jordan. Both are talented and driven, but there's a fundamental difference in how their managers trust and empower them. Alex's manager gives him the autonomy to set his deadlines, make decisions on projects, and approach his work in a way that best suits his skills. Jordan's manager, however, insists on setting strict guidelines, directly overseeing every step, and making decisions without Jordan's input. Over time, Alex flourishes, his creativity and productivity soar; he feels valued and motivated. Meanwhile, Jordan, feeling micromanaged and stifled, shows only marginal improvements, his potential untapped not due to a lack of capability, but a lack of trust and autonomy from his manager. This scenario highlights a critical management insight: Autonomy can significantly boost performance, innovation, and job satisfaction. As managers, how can you effectively trust your team members with more autonomy? Here are three tips: Define Clear Outcomes: Clearly articulate the goals and expected outcomes to your team. Providing a clear direction ensures that team members can navigate their tasks independently while aligning with the team’s goals. It’s about giving purpose and freedom within a structured framework. Encourage Open Dialogue: Cultivate an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas and feedback. This not only empowers them but also enriches decision-making with diverse insights, making autonomy a source of collective strength. Equip Your Team: While offering autonomy, ensure your team members have the necessary resources and support to execute their decisions. Access to adequate tools and information empowers them to make informed decisions and act autonomously with confidence. In embracing autonomy, remember that the ultimate goal is to create a workforce that feels empowered to bring their best selves to work, leading to higher engagement, creativity, and productivity. Let's lead with trust and watch your team members, and firms, thrive. https://lnkd.in/ecbhKkPN

How would the capabilities of your workforce change if the people on your team had the autonomy and the initiative to self-direct, manage and lead themselves? Wouldn't this make your role as a leader easier and more meaningful? The autonomous team member is proactive, motivated, and capable of making informed decisions without constant supervision or guidance. What if the people on your team took the initiative to share new opportunities with you or helped surface effective solutions to company challenges? It almost sounds too good to be true. It would be for most organizations; however, for those willing to discover, implement, and learn more about strategy execution, it could become a new way of working together—and gaining consistently better results. Many organizations struggle to allow their people autonomy because they continue to function within a typical "command and control" operating environment. As a result, team members are conditioned to wait on direction and guidance versus taking the initiative to lead themselves and those on their team. These traditional organizational structures aren't characterized by a transparent chain of command. Decision-making power is concentrated at the top and information only flows downward, on a need to know basis. The inability to self-lead and understand the big picture makes people indifferent or fearful of making decisions without higher approval, hindering their ability to accomplish and lead. To maintain control and ensure functionality within these structures, leadership teams have centralized actions and harmonized operations, managing the entire business from the top down. All initiatives must begin and end with them, or they never get completed. The challenges with "top down" leadership is that it creates workforce apathy, limits creativity, stifles innovation, and demotivates team members. It also makes generational differences more pronounced and challenging to work within. Strategy execution depends on a workforce that takes ownership of its actions, sets challenging goals, and remains accountable to teammates. It fosters organizational autonomy by leveraging each team member's strengths and applying them to key initiatives. Great things happen when people are given the autonomy to make decisions within their area of work. They are more engaged and collaborate openly and effectively across business functions. They continuously learn more about the business and become intimately involved in how it succeeds. They become vested as team members. Allowing your teams the runway to manage the execution of your business can be self-motivating for team members and liberating for leadership teams. Finding the intrinsic motivations of your people and then letting them do what you hired them for can make everyone's life at work better and more meaningful. Managing strategy execution will help your people thrive at work. #CEOs #leadership #autonomy #execution

7 ways to build an autonomous team (That thrives without constant oversight): A lot of leaders dream of teams that take ownership… — Not ones that need constant direction. But high-performing, autonomous teams don’t happen by accident. You have to create an environment where people feel: • Trusted • Clear on their goals • Safe to lead themselves Here are 7 ways to create that kind of environment (and build teams that lead themselves): 1) Hire self motivated people No amount of leadership can fix a bad hire who needs hand-holding. You need people who are naturally independent and driven. The people you bring in should already have the drive to take ownership. That’s where autonomy starts. 2) Put people in roles where they grow and win It’s not enough to hire great people. You have to put them in roles where they can: • Be successful • Feel stretched Enough stretch that they grow, but not so much that they snap. That’s where people stay engaged and motivated. 3) Set clear priorities and outcomes Autonomy doesn’t mean “figure it out on your own.” It requires clarity. You should be super clear on goals and outcomes. • What are we focusing on for the next 90 days? • What’s the priority for this week? Clarity gives your team the confidence to act without checking in constantly. 4) Create psychological safety Mistakes should be expected, not feared. People do their best work when mistakes aren’t punished, but learned from. And that’s one of our team norms. If we’re not making mistakes, we’re not stretching enough. I want them to feel safe to try, fail, and grow constantly. 5) Share leadership I rotate who facilitates our team meetings because it gives people space to lead. The other day, someone was leading within our team and a conflict came up. They navigated it really well, without me stepping in. It was a powerful reminder of what happens when you give people the opportunity to lead. They often rise to it. 6) Build systems that support independence If your team can’t find what they need, they’ll come to you for everything. That’s why you should have: • SOPs • Systems • Automations Give your team the tools and info upfront, so they don’t have to wait on you. 7) Help your team solve problems on their own When I was a school teacher, I came up with a rule I still use today: “Three before me.” If a student had a problem, they had to try three things before coming to me. Now, I use the same rule with my team. If they hit a roadblock, they try three solutions before bringing it to me. This helps them become resourceful, not dependent. Thanks for reading. Enjoyed this? Follow Dr. Carrie LaDue for more.