As I sit here in my favourite Auckland café, flat white coffee in hand, I can’t help but reflect on the delicate balancing act that is modern leadership. It’s a bit like trying to navigate a Kiwi trail — you need to keep your eye on the track ahead while also allowing yourself the freedom to explore the beauty around you. This gives a flavour of what we’re grappling with when we talk about ‘aligned autonomy’.
Now, I’m no leadership guru — far from it. My journey has been more of a ‘stumble and learn’ approach, peppered with moments of clarity (maybe needing a second or third flat white). But over the past year, I’ve seen the term ‘aligned autonomy’ increasingly pop up in conversations, articles, courses, and even the occasional motivational poster (you know the ones, with the soaring eagle and the inspirational quote in a font that screams ‘take me seriously’).
So, what’s all the fuss about? Well, grab a cuppa and let’s unpack this together.
What on Earth is Aligned Autonomy?
Imagine you’re coaching the All Blacks (I can dream, can’t I?). You’ve got a team of incredibly talented players, each with their own strengths and playing styles. They might be rock stars in their own right, but you want them to use their individual brilliance while working together towards winning the match. That’s aligned autonomy in a nutshell.
In the business world, it’s about giving teams the freedom to make decisions and determine how to accomplish their work (that’s the autonomy bit) while ensuring those decisions align with the company’s overall mission, vision, and strategic objectives (there’s your alignment).
It’s like telling your teenage kid they can decorate their room however they want, as long as it doesn’t involve fire hazards or structural damage to the house. This is sometimes called, ‘freedom within guardrails’.
Why can’t we just pick one?
Now, you might be thinking, “Why not just go full autonomy? Let the people run free!”
Well, as tempting as it might be to unleash chaos and watch the world burn (or is that just me?), there’s a good reason for finding balance.
Pure autonomy without alignment risks chaos. You might end up with teams working at cross-purposes, duplicating efforts, or worse, heading in completely different directions. It’s like having 15 people on the field with a rugby ball but each playing to a different sports code — entertaining, perhaps, but not very effective.
On the flip side, overly restrictive alignment without autonomy will stifle creativity and motivation. It’s the organisational equivalent of those paint-by-numbers kits — sure, you’ll end up with a picture, but it’s hardly going to set the art world on fire.
The ‘sweet spot’
So, how do we find that Goldilocks zone of ‘just right’? Well, it’s not easy, and if anyone tells you they’ve got it all figured out, they’re probably trying to sell you something … probably a book with their face on the cover. Note: I never put my face on my books … I do want people to buy them, after all.
From my own stumbling efforts — and my observations of others who seem to have a clue — here are a few key practices:
- Clear communication: Make sure everyone knows the big picture and short-term priorities. Done well, OKRs can be a really effective tool for this. It’s like the team drawing a map before they head out on a treasure hunt.
- Decision-making frameworks: Work with the team to agree some ground rules about which decisions the team could and should make for themselves, which need consultation, and which likely need guidance. Delegation Poker is a great way to gamify this discussion.
- Leadership at all levels: Encourage everyone to learn about Situational Leadership, so they understand how to turn up into critical conversations (from hands off, through supporting and coaching, to directing). It’s the difference between a helicopter parent and one who teaches their kid to ride a bike and then lets go.
- Trust and accountability: Foster a culture where people take ownership for the quality of their work, while still sharing responsibility for the team’s mission. It’s about people having enough rope to lasso their goals, not hang themselves.
- Feedback loops: Create ways for teams to share progress and align with objectives. Think of it as regular family dinners where everyone shares what they’ve been up to.
- Resource provision: Make sure teams have what they need to make informed decisions. You wouldn’t send someone to build a house without tools, would you?
- Balancing act: Identify where you need consistency and where variation is okay. It’s like agreeing on a dress code that allows for personal style but prevents anyone from showing up in a chicken suit (unless that’s your thing, no judgment — well, ok, a little).
- Cross-team collaboration: Encourage knowledge sharing within teams and community of practice. It’s the corporate version of ‘sharing is caring’. Although make this an open invitation. Once, I set goals for my coaching team to collaborate by sharing their experiments and results. Boy, did I get that wrong.
When It goes wrong
Now, I’d love to tell you that if you follow these steps, you’ll achieve nirvana, with everyone happy, productive, and delivering on the organisation’s goals. But let’s be real — sometimes, despite our best intentions, things can go a bit pear-shaped (sometimes, a lot).
Take Yahoo, for instance. When Marissa Mayer banned remote work, it was like telling a bunch of free-range chickens they had to live in a coop. The result? A mass exodus of talent. Or Microsoft’s old rank-and-yank approach, which turned teamwork into an episode of Survivor.
Even companies known for innovation can stumble. Remember when Zappos tried to implement Holacracy? It was like trying to teach your grandparents to use TikTok — confusing, frustrating, and ultimately not very productive. As I know to my own cost, from using Holacracy to organise a conference (but that’s another story).
The key takeaway? Finding balance is an ongoing process, not a destination. It’s okay to make mistakes, as long as you learn from them (and hopefully have a good laugh about it later).
The harmony of balance
When aligned autonomy works well, it’s like a well-oiled machine — or in NZ terms, like a well-performed haka. Everyone knows their part, but they also have the freedom to bring their own energy and style to it.
Take the rather overused example of Spotify’s squad model, for example. Small, autonomous teams working on specific features, while staying connected through ‘tribes’ and ‘chapters’. A little like a bunch of indie bands that come together for an epic music festival.
Or look at Google’s 20% time policy. Engineers get to work on passion projects, but they still need to align with Google’s overall mission. It’s the corporate equivalent of letting your kids choose their own adventure — as long as it’s in the book you’ve given them. We used that approach to great success at one my organisations, although we called that ‘Fish can Fly’.
The road ahead
As we navigate the complexities of modern work environments, the concept of aligned autonomy will likely continue to evolve. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, and what works for one organisation might be a disaster for another.
The key is to keep experimenting, learning, and adapting. It’s about creating an environment where people feel empowered to make decisions, but also connected to a larger purpose.
And remember, if all else fails, there’s always the option of implementing a company-wide policy of Casual Friday. Because nothing says ‘aligned autonomy’ quite like everyone independently choosing to wear jeans to the office.
In all seriousness, though, the journey towards aligned autonomy is ongoing. It requires patience, flexibility, and a good sense of humour. But get it right, and you might just create an organisation that’s not only successful but also a pretty great place to work.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think it’s time for another flat white. After all, writing about balance is thirsty work!
Postscript
If you are interested in talking about creating alignment or fostering autonomy, then connect with me on LinkedIn and let’s talk. My experience with team coaching and implementing OKRs can help.
Notes
- Article first published on Medium on September 20th, 2024