What Does Staff Autonomy Really Mean?

There are many platitudes in the business leadership sphere. Many people will pay lip service to certain concepts, principles, or standards that they might not follow in their firm, or perhaps haven’t had the chance to test on their own. Is this a crime? Not necessarily, of course, it just means taking any advice you read online with a pinch of salt, including this post.

That being said, guidance that generally suggests you look past common suggests to see what the underlying principles are and test them for your own firm, is quite useful. 

In that spirit, let’s tackle one of the most obfuscatory ideas - that of staff autonomy. Many blog posts and thought leaders suggest you should cede all control over your team to be an effective organization, and it’s true that trusting people generally allows them to show you the best of themselves. But it also comes with risk, as most level-headed people will understand. The key is to find a balance depending on the approach you have. But what does that mean in practice? Let’s consider this:

Freedom Within A Framework

No business, however much they may be run by a trusting free spirit, can function without a framework to guide the work. This framework can include everything from the goals you set for your team to the values you uphold as a company, but it also means making systemic choices that affect how you manage your approach. For example, you may allow a marketing manager to run their campaigns independently but with the understanding that their efforts should connect with company messaging and budgetary needs, while also gaining final oversight from you before getting out there. Or, you might give your customer support agents a script, but at least one they have some freedom within. It’s the best of both worlds..

Legal Protections & Coverage

If you grant autonomy, it’s important to think about how you protect them in case of fallout. This is as integral as making sure there’s going to be actual, functional roads where you drive your car. This doesn’t mean you need to become paranoid about every move your staff makes of course, but it does mean you should have policies, procedures, and insurance in place to protect your company in case something does go wrong. It’s wise to consult a legal professional about the boundaries of your employees' authority and what protections you might need - you can imagine that a hospital director might utilize a service like this, to use an example.

Robust Oversight Implementation

There are some schools of business management thought that pretend having ultimate creative control is a bad idea, but sometimes you need to integrate that into your oversight measures. It’s fine to provide your staff with the tools and support they need to succeed, while still keeping an eye on their progress. Making that clear gives you the freedom to step in when needed and guide projects in the right direction without necessarily causing frustration. It could also prevent your team from making mistakes, even if you do have to ultimately reject a decision. Just balance this with your willingness to accept responsibility for decisions, and you’ll have a better outcome.

With this advice, you’ll be certain to perfect your staff autonomy with a more balance and rounded view.

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