Freedom ignites passion, imagination, and initiative; control destroys it. Freedom feeds vitality; control oppresses and limits. Freedom, however, is dangerous.
Freedom is essential because their expertise exceeds yours, in their area. If you know more than everyone on your team, you have a weak team.
Effective leaders set people free.
Finding freedom:
#1. Freedom regarding method not mission. Free environments require mission-clarity between individuals and organizations. Every free environment is mission driven or it’s confused, diluted, and ineffective. Furthermore, all participants must know how personal mission aligns with organizational mission.
#2. Freedom needs the big picture. Silos create enemies. Free people know how their behaviors and performance impacts others. They know how they matter.
#3. Freedom necessitates constant feedback. Freedom without feedback is paranoia. People without feedback develop personal, self-serving agendas. It’s their only option.
#4. Freedom requires information and transparency. Secrets indicate manipulation; transparency creates confidence, responsibility, and accountability. In free environments everyone knows everything they need to know.
#5. Freedom calls for equipping. Don’t bother developing people if you aren’t going to set them free to perform with new skills. Developing people sets them free to serve others.
#6. Freedom requires responsibility or anarchy results.
#7. Freedom thrives on clarity. Confusion ends freedom because it feeds chaos.
#8. Freedom is protected by cross-functional teams. Individuals acting independently destroy organizational freedom. People responsible to others can be set free.
Danger:
Freedom is dangerous. Putting Band-Aids on old systems is futile. Freedom takes time.
How can leaders step toward free organizations?
What hinders free environments?
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Post in a picture by Larry Coppenrath: “Finding Freedom”
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