Comments on: Creating Autonomy in Routine Jobs http://www.whatsbestnext.com/2010/01/creating-autonomy-in-routine-jobs/ Leadership, productivity, vocation, and theology Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:24:08 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Matt http://www.whatsbestnext.com/2010/01/creating-autonomy-in-routine-jobs/comment-page-1/#comment-3845 Matt Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:08:35 +0000 http://www.whatsbestnext.com/?p=3201#comment-3845 That's a great thing to bring up. I am not aware of much written on that, actually, perhaps because so much is written from the perspective of American culture where so many people by default expect and seek autonomy. (Although even here, many do have the mindset of "just tell me each step.") I think that some of Stephen Covey's stuff might be helpful here. In the Seven Habits, for example, he talks about being "proactive" and what that means, which is a fundamental ingredient here. Then, later on in that book, he talks about "win-win performance agreements." I think that, initially, that's where I'd start. These performance agreements make the expectations and guidelines clear, which is important in all cases, and especially in the context where most are used to just having someone tell them each step. The key is to train them that when they want to look for someone to tell them the next step, they should instead look again at the desired results and guidelines, and then identify their own course within that framework. The components include these four things (plus a few others that aren't coming to mind right now): 1. Desired results 2. Guidelines 3. Resources 4. Accountability That’s a great thing to bring up. I am not aware of much written on that, actually, perhaps because so much is written from the perspective of American culture where so many people by default expect and seek autonomy. (Although even here, many do have the mindset of “just tell me each step.”)

I think that some of Stephen Covey’s stuff might be helpful here. In the Seven Habits, for example, he talks about being “proactive” and what that means, which is a fundamental ingredient here. Then, later on in that book, he talks about “win-win performance agreements.” I think that, initially, that’s where I’d start.

These performance agreements make the expectations and guidelines clear, which is important in all cases, and especially in the context where most are used to just having someone tell them each step. The key is to train them that when they want to look for someone to tell them the next step, they should instead look again at the desired results and guidelines, and then identify their own course within that framework. The components include these four things (plus a few others that aren’t coming to mind right now):

1. Desired results
2. Guidelines
3. Resources
4. Accountability

]]> By: Jeff Owens http://www.whatsbestnext.com/2010/01/creating-autonomy-in-routine-jobs/comment-page-1/#comment-3832 Jeff Owens Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:28:29 +0000 http://www.whatsbestnext.com/?p=3201#comment-3832 I totally agree with your philosophy of management. The problem I have run into is that I live in a culture where people are trained since birth to do as they are told and not to think for themselves. Do you (or anyone else who is reading) have any suggestions for how to train employees on how to go from a mindset of "tell me each step of the process" to "just tell me what the end result should look like"? I totally agree with your philosophy of management. The problem I have run into is that I live in a culture where people are trained since birth to do as they are told and not to think for themselves.

Do you (or anyone else who is reading) have any suggestions for how to train employees on how to go from a mindset of “tell me each step of the process” to “just tell me what the end result should look like”?

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