Creating a culture of autonomy

What does Autonomy mean to you? In my experience this means taking responsibility for actions, projects, accepting consequences, solving problems, finding solutions, being accountable and using initiative. Do you have autonomous people in your organisation, department or team?

So often I hear complaints from Managers talking of wasted time and resources fixing the problems of others, their people not being accountable or using their initiative or even engaging their brains to manage issues. In short the people in their team are not autonomous.

So do you have a culture of autonomy? What do you do in your organisation to encourage, enhance, grow and develop autonomous people? Worse still, what barriers do you put up to prevent or remove autonomy?

I have worked with management teams where their employees are fully engaged but the leadership from the top is so restrictive that autonomy is impossible as ideas are changed and control is removed consistently leading to de-motivation and disengagement. If you want autonomous people this needs to work from top to bottom of your organisation.

So how do you create a culture of autonomy?

If you have read my blogs before you may be able to predict my first word, coach. Coaching breeds autonomy.

As a coach I am a big fan of the GROW model. I use this with individuals or teams to create a flow to sessions and guide my questions. A simple model, but with the right questions can lead to light bulb moments. When training people managers on motivation or engagement, supervisory skills, increasing autonomy or how to manage using coaching skills, I offer a suggestion of how to use the grow model very simply when managing.

• What is the employee trying to achieve? - GOAL

• Where are they currently? - REALITY

• What options do they have for action? - OPTIONS

• What do they intend to do and when? - WAY FORWARD

The premise being when an individual brings you a problem or you are reviewing a project you work through these steps as questions to generate a discussion, of course allowing them to provide the answers. The next time the individual may bring you the options and eventually they will simply advise you that they have solved the problem or update you on the success of the project. Less issues at your door, more time to focus on your own work.

Of course coaching as a management tool needs to be used appropriately. If you need to have final say on the decision coach to step 3 then agree the way forward. There will too, of course, be occasions as a manager that you need to give an answer. In this case I wouldn’t advise coaching:

Employee: The kitchen is on fire

Manager: What is your reality?

Employee: The kitchen is on fire

Manager: What do you think are the options you could take at this time?

Employee: The office is now on fire. I suggest we leave the building

Manager: Is there anything else you could consider here as a way forward?

Need I go on? At times be a manager and offer the answer but where you can, coach.

In order to be breed autonomy you also need to allow it. Take down the barriers to autonomous people in your organisation and the best way to do this, in the words of that little known Disney animation, is Let it go... Let it go...

Three simple words, Let it go, but for some hard to do. Barriers to delegation include fear of failure of the task, envy of staff members talent, “I can do it better myself”, “I like to do it myself”, “If I hand over tasks I lose control”, “I don’t have time to show anyone” or “they have enough to do”. If any of these resonate with you then you need to work out how to delegate, as put simply you cannot create autonomy without removing the barriers to it. You cannot expect people to take responsibility or use initiative if you do not allow it, prevent it, quash it or control it. Ensure in your organisation you are not preventing autonomy and make sure your people managers are delegating.

Of course you need to manage your people and ensure tasks are correct, in line with business needs, on track and effective, but you also need to let go and allow responsibility for this to be handed down.

My final advice is praise. Where you see autonomy in practice, acknowledge and recognise. In effect, water it and help it grow and flourish. Recognise the behaviour you want to demonstrate to the individual and others and help your culture change.

It takes time, effort, input and change to create true culture of autonomy but take the first steps. Remove the barriers in your organisation or management style, coach where you can, praise and encourage autonomy and let it grow.