Autonomy vs. Micromanaging: Which is Better?

One of the biggest problems in management is micromanagement. According to a 2014 Robert Half survey, 59% of employees said they had been micromanaged at some point in their career. Of those who felt they'd been micromanaged, 68% said it decreased their morale and 55% said it hurt their productivity.

We live in a connected and empowered society, where employees prefer autonomy. This is opposite to the fact that 4 out of 10 people showed a strong desire for power.

Micromanagement in a nutshell

Micromanagers are people who want to be seen as experts and authority figures. Employees' demand for autonomy creates an existential crisis among employers, who believe their expertise and authority are not needed anymore.

Managers delegate tasks, but not necessarily authority. Teams own projects, but ultimately it's the boss who makes the final decision. Employees had to wait for the green light before moving the project forward, which discourages them.

That's not all, many companies prefer to micromanage employees by doing things in a specific way, their own way. This restricts employees' creativity and productivity.

If organisations want to grow and become more agile, it’s important that employees are empowered to take the reins.

Why you should encourage autonomy

Autonomy is our desire for choice. It's the feeling that we control our own actions. It's not just about the ability to choose, it's also about having options. 

When a company encourages autonomy:

• Workers feel more valued:  When employees have a say in how things are done, it creates a sense of ownership, which makes them stay committed.

• No more negative emotions: A neuroscientist found that it’s easier to manage our emotions when we’re in control. Stressor we can control is less damaging than stressors we can't control.

• It makes the work more attractive: According to a study, people are nearly 2 ¹⁄2 times more likely to take a job that gave them more autonomy than they were to want a job that gave them more influence.

• It inspires loyalty: Motivation grows when people feel in control.

• It improves productivity: Studies have shown that autonomy makes people more efficient.

Autonomy and accountability

Let's clear things up, autonomy is NOT total independence. Autonomy is a collective mindset that increases team performance.

This is why managers are afraid of delegating authority, they don't understand the difference between autonomy and independence. They think that "freedom" is associated with lower performance and accountability. In reality, genuine autonomy amplifies both freedom and responsibility. 

How can we make managers see this? 

First, we reframe the reward system at work. Instead of the old carrot-and-stick approach, we must focus on a naturally motivated approach. We must focus on three elements:

• Autonomy

• Mastery, and

• Purpose.

Our brains are wired to self-direct. We don't people to tell us how to do things, we want to feel in control. We need to have autonomy over what we do, when we do it, who we do it with and how we do it.

For example, Spotify is organised in small cross-functional teams called "Squads", each has the autonomy to decide what to build, how to build it, and how to work together.

Promoting autonomy encourages people to become more accountable to themselves and others. It creates a virtuous cycle.

Belonging drives accountability

Humans are social animals, each person wants to belong to a tribe. In their tribe, they shape their own culture. A great tribe must have a leader and an idea.

Tribes are just like today's teams. Today's teams want more than a job, they want to join a mission. They need connection and growth. They want to be accountable to something larger than life.

This kind of team has a high chance of success as they grow closer together. They're experts at recruiting and welcoming new employees, as well as identifying those who aren't qualified. 

Just like Spotify's "Squads", teams create their own missions, goals and working styles. They are tribes with end-to-end responsibilities. When a team becomes a tribe, the role of the leader doesn’t lose importance — it evolves into something much more meaningful.

Autonomy is more rewarding than money. People want to join a mission and become part of a tribe, not to be told how to work. They want to be the source of their own action.

Letting go of power may make many leaders nervous, but micromanagement is what really hinders an organisation’s potential. There’s no universal solution, no one-size-fits-all method for developing strong, agile, high-functioning tribes. Every company must find its own way. 

If you're looking to encourage autonomy within your company, this article will help you!

Source: TLNT

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