Learning to give up control and provide autonomy for your people may be one of the most impactful things you can do as a leader. Giving more choice and control in their work has incredible benefits in all performance, culture, innovation, retention and wellbeing of your employees.
In my experience, we tend to have an inaccurate definition of autonomy in the workplace. Many assimilate autonomy with abandonment. This is far from it. When autonomy is done right, people still have clarity, healthy boundaries and accountability.
To empower your people and stop micromanaging, provide clarity on goals and expectations. Schedule weekly check-ins to ensure they are certain of what must be accomplished, by when and why it is important for the company. This way, you are able to get a feel for how they’re doing in their role, whether they are on track with their OKR’s and you’ll feel more comfortable taking a step back if you see first-hand that they’re handling their work with ease. You must also hold people responsible for results and ensure that the right accountability channels are in place.
It is time we stop the micromanagement plague still so prevalent in workplaces everywhere. One of the best antidotes for unmotivated and disengaged workers is granting employees autonomy in the work they do. This leads to passionate employees that are more creative, confident, and productive, which in turn leads to more successful businesses with a better bottom line.
Leaders need to look for ways to shift the way they treat their people, by leaning on the expertise of those they hire, granting autonomy and motivating them to do their best work.
Studies show that employees are craving autonomy, so take a step back and only intervene at times when they seek your support. Make sure you practise open and honest communication and provide feedback to ensure everyone is aligned in expectations and deliverables.
Offering employees the freedom to choose how they handle their responsibilities may sound scary to some, but when practiced the right way, with consistent communication, it will also strengthen the bond you have with your people and create a foundation of trust and psychological safety where everyone feels they are valued and contributing to the main vision.
Giving employees autonomy is not about the absence of a boss or leader; it’s about trusting your employees to do the job they were hired to do, and do it well. Stop micromanaging them and start working on developing trust in your people so they can show you what they are truly capable of.
To your success,
Isabel
#leadership #autonomy #highperformance #success
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