What draws us to power?
Royal thrillers like The Crown, Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon might suggest that humans crave control over others — but a recent study proves otherwise.
In an international survey published by The Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, participants were offered one of two hypothetical promotions: one that wielded more influence and one that promised greater autonomy. Sixty-two percent of participants indicated they would take the high-flexibility role, while only 26 percent showed interest in the position offering more power. These days, people hunger more for autonomous power over their own lives than for subordinates to “bend the knee.”
This shift in priorities is good news for tech companies, who have the opportunity to make individual contributors the rulers of their own desk.
At legaltech company Smokeball, Director of Client Quality Assurance Alison Lupel has been able to take control of her domain by building a track record of stellar performance.
“Over my five year tenure here, I set a precedent of solving problems for myself,” Lupel told Built In Chicago. “In my new role, there is no playbook for how I go about uncovering opportunities for growth: I have the freedom to chart my own path of discovery without limits.”
Hala Nakhla, engineering manager of cloud security and engineering enablement at TransUnion, added that autonomy isn’t just a cornerstone of employee satisfaction: It’s a stepping stone to future leadership.
“Building functional autonomy into the fabric of our work gives team members the flexibility they need to grow faster, professionally and personally,” Nakhla said. “This flexibility produces responsible contributors and builds future leaders.”
Autonomy — whether it leads to personal growth or future leadership — stands on the shoulders of communication and trust. Individual contributors seeking sovereignty of their work can begin by building a standard of excellence, and leaders can reciprocate by affording them trust. From control over scheduling to ownership over projects, the future of autonomous work is coming, and it is up to tech leadership to usher in its reign.
TransUnion is a global information and insights company that strives to reliably and safely represent consumers in the marketplace. Engineering Manager of Cloud Security & Engineering Enablement Hala Nakhla told Built In Chicago that autonomy has become a must-have in a post-pandemic world. “Maximizing employee autonomy became crucial to navigate the lockdown while preserving the wellbeing of employees,” they said. “Today, it is clear to leaders and organizations that work autonomy is no longer an option for companies to offer, but a necessity to stay relevant as a business.”
What does autonomy at work mean to you?
It translates to the freedom an employer grants their employees to complete their work. The overall goal of work autonomy is to increase employee productivity, motivation and individual accountability to achieve business objectives. As an engineering manager at TransUnion, autonomy at work came especially into focus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How have you been able to build autonomy at your current employer?
The team I’m privileged to lead today is built on a foundation of trust and communication. Outlining overarching goals and adopting a culture of agility is crucial to effect functional autonomy. Clear goals define what paths the team will take, while agile methodologies provide the guiding principles individuals can lean on to break down the work, track deliverables and demonstrate incremental value.
Our culture of trust provides leaders the resources they need to encourage employee ownership and accountability.”
How does your employer support you in finding the autonomy you need in your career?
At TransUnion, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in digital transformation initiatives to increase agility and improve efficiency. Embarking on these initiatives opened up the opportunity for my team to try out new ways of execution and build autonomy into the fabric of the team.
TransUnion’s leadership is very open to new ideas and values feedback to improve our approach to work. Our culture of trust provides leaders the resources they need to encourage employee ownership and accountability.
Smokeball is a legal practice management software for small law firms. The legaltech company is driven by its mission to help small law firms better serve their communities. Director of Client Quality Assurance Alison Lupel told Built In Chicago that a culture of trust is the key to building autonomy. “By trusting my institutional knowledge, interpersonal skills and work ethic, my employer has given me the freedom to examine parts of the business that could be unintentionally overlooked through a more limited lens,” she said.
What does autonomy at work mean to you?
In my role as Smokeball’s director of client quality assurance, I look for opportunities to improve our product, services and processes.
For example, through both informal and formal meetings with colleagues I may hear of challenges a client is facing or a systemic block preventing an immediate solution. My autonomy allows me to brainstorm with those impacted and make recommendations for changes or accommodations. Through influence and access, I am empowered to seek the changes my experience informs me will lead to positive outcomes.
Through influence and access, I am empowered to seek the changes my experience informs me will lead to positive outcomes.”
How have you been able to build autonomy at your current employer?
Previously, as a Smokeball account manager, it was not uncommon for me to advocate on behalf of my clients for outcomes that lay outside the ordinary course of business. My ability to take a 360 degree view — from both the client and business perspectives — and offer unique solutions that made all parties feel heard and valued. This set a precedent for entrusting me to “figure it out” on a case-by-case basis.
How does your employer support you in finding the autonomy you need in your career?
By being results-driven rather than being bogged down in the process. When I’ve made certain suggestions that require approval, it is the respect and responsibility given to me by my employer — in tandem with the relationships I’ve cultivated — that allows my suggestions to be seriously considered and acted upon.
