Should companies let staff do what they want?

I spoke at a Cleantech start-up/investor event in Berlin not so long ago and was asked what are the key factors behind a high performing team and culture. I listed 6, a big one was Autonomy. People often think in zero-sum game mindsets. Autonomy does not equal anarchy. Anarchy will kill your company, autonomy is key to getting the most from your talent. And attracting and retaining talent for that matter. For those of you who think the key to motivation is money, that's an expensive mindset doomed to failure in the long run. This FT article also cites the excellent book on motivation, "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us", by Daniel Pink. I'd highly recommend it.

Hi levels of expectation and accountability are the counter requirement to high levels of autonomy. Get it right and life as a leader gets more interesting and less mundane, but leading is never without challenges. 

The quote ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast’ is bandied about a lot, including by me, but my 30 years in executive search and business, starting my own businesses and working with many hundreds more, points to the truth of that statement. Try getting an unmotivated, frustrated and self-centred team to carry out your excellent strategy. Good luck with that.

Where to do you stand on the big trust issues, remote/hybrid vs Office. Autonomy vs rigidity?