Over the years, I’ve noticed something interesting about high-performing teams.
They tend to ask for less permission.
Not because they are rebellious.
Not because they ignore authority.
But because they understand what they are trying to achieve.
They trust their judgement.
And they know they will be supported when they act with good intent.
The opposite is often true in struggling organisations.
People become cautious.
Every decision needs approval.
Every action requires validation.
Every problem is pushed upwards.
At first this can look like discipline.
Over time it often becomes dependence.
The irony is that many leaders want people to take ownership.
Yet the environment unintentionally teaches people to wait.
The best teams I’ve worked with didn’t have more talented people.
They had people who believed they could make a difference.
And once people believe that, something important changes.
Initiative appears.
Responsibility grows.
And permission becomes less necessary.
Related Articles:
Human Agency in Organisations: Why Capability Alone Doesn’t Create Performance
Control Creates Compliance. Agency Creates Commitment: Why Ownership Outperforms Oversight
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