LET GO TO LEAD: Why Autonomy is the Key to Performance

There’s a moment in every leader’s journey when they realise that control doesn’t scale. You can’t be across every detail, every decision, every deliverable. Nor should you be. The best leaders know when to step back—not because they’re disengaged, but because they trust their people to step forward.

Steve Jobs once said, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do. We hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” It’s a quote that’s been repeated often but rarely lived. Too many managers still fall into the trap of micromanagement, believing that oversight equals effectiveness. In reality, it often signals a lack of trust, and it’s costing organisations more than they realise.

The Autonomy Equation

Autonomy isn’t about letting go of accountability. It’s about being clear on the what and the when, and giving your team the space to figure out the how. When leaders set clear expectations and outcomes, but allow flexibility in approach, they unlock a powerful combination: ownership and creativity.

This doesn’t mean abandoning support. It means being available when asked, not inserting yourself uninvited. It means coaching, not controlling. It means trusting your team to bring their expertise to the table and resisting the urge to rearrange the table settings.

Micromanagement: More Than Just a Bad Habit

Micromanagement is more than just annoying—it’s actively harmful. In fact, it’s increasingly recognised as a psychosocial risk in the workplace. When employees are subjected to excessive control, constant checking and a lack of decision-making power, it can lead to stress, anxiety, and burnout. Safe Work Australia includes poor management practices and lack of autonomy among the psychosocial hazards that can impact mental health at work.

Here are some common examples of micromanagement in action:

Requiring daily updates on minor tasks that don’t impact broader outcomes
Rewriting team members work without consultation
Insisting on being copied into every email
Dictating not just what needs to be done but exactly how it must be done
Overriding decisions without explanation or discussion

These behaviours don’t just frustrate, they erode trust, reduce engagement, and send a clear message: I don’t believe you can do this without me.

The Cost of Control

Micromanagement creates a ripple effect of dysfunction:

Disengaged talent: When employees feel they’re not trusted to make decisions, they stop trying. They disengage, do the minimum, and look elsewhere for opportunities to grow.
Stifled innovation: Creativity thrives in environments where experimentation is encouraged. If every idea has to be approved, and every step scrutinised, innovation dies on the vine.
Slowed progress: Micromanagers become bottlenecks. Decisions wait for sign-off. Progress stalls. Momentum fades.
Manager burnout: Trying to control everything is exhausting. It’s not sustainable and it’s not strategic.

The irony? Most micromanagers are trying to be helpful. They care deeply about outcomes. But in doing so, they unintentionally undermine the very people they rely on to deliver those outcomes.

Building Trust: The Antidote to Micromanagement

Trust isn’t built overnight, but it can be cultivated deliberately. Here are five practical ways senior leaders can build trust and foster autonomy:

Start with clarity
Be crystal clear on what success looks like. Define the deliverables, the deadlines, and the purpose behind the work. When people understand the why and the what, they’re more confident in owning the how.
Let go of the details
Resist the urge to dictate every step. Ask questions instead of giving instructions. Encourage your team to explore options and bring their own thinking to the table.
Be available, not intrusive
Make it known that support is there when needed but don’t hover. Let your team come to you. Trust them to know when they need help.
Recognise initiative
Celebrate when people take ownership. Acknowledge creativity, problem-solving, and independent thinking. These are the behaviours that drive performance.
Reflect and recalibrate
Use regular check-ins to reflect on what’s working and what’s not. Invite feedback on your leadership style. Be open to adjusting your approach.

A Culture of Autonomy

Autonomy isn’t just a leadership tactic, it’s a cultural shift. It requires senior leaders to model trust, reward initiative, and let go of the need to control. It’s about creating an environment where people feel safe to think, act, and lead.

When autonomy becomes the norm, organisations become more agile, more innovative and more resilient. Teams move faster. Ideas flow freely. People feel valued not just for what they do, but for how they do it.

So if you’re a senior leader wondering how to get more from your team, start by giving them more room. Let go of the how. Focus on the what and the when. And watch what happens when smart people are trusted to do what they do best.

Let’s chat. Reach out to The Workplace Coach today and explore how coaching can elevate your own leadership style and help you be even more effective in your role.

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