EMBED AUTONOMY AND DECISION MAKING WITHIN YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
A topic that often comes up when working with clients is ‘How to embed autonomy and decision making within the leadership team’.
It’s the age old problem of people being promoted into leadership roles because they are good at their jobs without any leadership training. They continue to operate as they always have, turning to their ‘superiors’ to make decisions.
This ingrained behaviour is not due to laziness, but rather a lack of direction and clear expectations. It leads to a lack of commitment, responsibility, and accountability and ultimately a lack of results, with the person at the top becoming burnt out.
And the biggest problem… is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.
Leadership development often comprises learning from peers and previous incumbents and as such there is little opportunity to learn new ways and different perspectives.
Therefore, the same behaviours are repeated throughout the business with each person culpable of reinforcing these undesirable behaviours, from the top down.
Where individuals are not taking responsibility for their own decisions, this leads to a lack of accountability and commitment to results.
SO, HOW CAN YOU DEVELOP AUTONOMY IN YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM?
Clarity of job roles and responsibilities
This is an important basic to get right, but all too often it is overlooked and taken for granted. It is worthwhile regularly having a refresh of job roles and responsibilities to ensure:
This should not only be done at the Leadership Team level but cascaded down through the business.
Trust
Trust is the essential ingredient in high performing teams. There needs to be Trust in and across the whole Leadership Team for them to operate autonomously.
Trust is not something that can be conjured up overnight; it takes time and consistent behaviours for individuals to trust each other. The starting point is raising self-awareness with personality profiling; understanding the impact of self and how to better adapt to others. The various personalities and dynamics of the entire team are then understood with strengths, weaknesses and preferred operating styles appreciated.
Delegate decision-making authority
Empower team members by delegating decision-making authority as appropriate. This not only distributes the decision making responsibility but also helps team members develop their own decision making skills. Provide guidance and support as needed, but allow individuals to take ownership of their decisions. An important and often overlooked element is to make sure others know.
Decision making methodologies
Provide established models for making decisions, share with the team and encourage feedback on their use. One model may incorporate diverse perspectives and teamwork; whilst another encourages independent thinking.
Seek diverse perspectives
Decision making is enhanced when you gather diverse viewpoints. Encourage team members to share their opinions and ideas, even if they differ from your own. This allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the situation and increases the likelihood of making well-informed decisions.
Coaching culture
Organisations with an established coaching culture provide the conditions for leadership and independent thinking to flourish throughout their businesses. Coaching your team and sharing the methodology of coaching with them, is a long term game but one which will pay you back in buckets. It encourages independent thinking and provides the framework for autonomous decision making.
Develop critical thinking
Critical thinking involves evaluating information objectively, considering different angles, and identifying potential implications. Enhance your critical thinking skills by asking probing questions, examining assumptions, and considering various alternatives before making a decision.
Practice problem-solving
Decision making often involves problem-solving. Develop your problem-solving skills by breaking down complex issues into smaller components, identifying root causes, brainstorming potential solutions, and evaluating their pros and cons. Regularly practicing problem-solving helps you become more comfortable with making decisions.
Learn from past experiences
Reflect on past decisions and their outcomes. Assess what worked well and what could have been improved. This retrospective analysis helps you learn from mistakes and successes, enhancing your decision making abilities over time.
Encourage collaboration
Collaboration involves working together as a team to generate ideas, make decisions collectively, and implement solutions. Foster a collaborative environment by promoting open communication, active listening, and a culture that values diverse perspectives. Encourage team members to contribute their expertise and actively involve them in the decision making process.
Establish shared goals
Ensure that team members have a clear understanding of the shared goals and vision. When everyone is aligned around a common purpose, it becomes easier to make decisions that support the overall objectives. Regularly communicate the organisation’s mission and objectives to maintain focus and direction.
Cascade
All the above does not work in isolation. Everyone needs to be making decisions appropriate to their role. In this way, each individual is freed up to perform their own role and flourish rather than getting involved in other people’s work.
And, the effects of increased autonomy and better decision making?
HOW CAN WORKING WITH A LEADERSHIP COACH SUPPORT IN THE PROCESS?
There are many advantages to providing appropriate leadership development from an outside of your organisation.
A leadership coach can…
How can growth plans support you as a business leader?
How can growth plans support your board and/or management team?
SUPPORTING YOU AND YOUR TEAM TO DEVELOP AUTONOMY AND RECOGNISE THEIR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
Contact Liz Whitfield to see if she is right for you and you are right for Growth Plans®. [email protected]
