We crave it. We demand it. We fight for it.

Freedom to do what we want.  To do it our way.  To do it on our own.

We resent those who keep us from it.   Leaders.  Managers.  Parents.   Why won’t they leave us alone?

But then sometimes – we get freedom before we are ready.   Then flail or fail with consequences from trivial to tragic and then resent those who left us on our own.  Can you believe they dumped this on us?

And then sometimes –  we are given freedom before we are ready but also get helpful tools and support.  Tools and support for managing the bumps without major consequences.  And then – we are quickly rewarded and reinforced with YES!-I-did-it! confidence-building success.

Success that breeds more success.

Confidence that breeds more confidence.

The thrill.

The sense of freedom.

The achievement.

The recognition.

The boost to morale.

The readiness to take on even more and the responsibilities that go with it.

Ah – the joy of independence.

It’s a wonderful thing to experience but difficult to attain. I have struggled through both sides of the battle, lived both sides of the consequences, suffered through all four sides of the resentment and have watched others do the same.   I imagine you have too.

In the process, I have found a few strategies for successfully navigating to the more joyful side of independence. Here are six of them.

1. Tools. It’s such a little thing but sets a tone for independence and efficiency to have designated “homes” for tools that everyone needs. Tools like: forms, scissors, the stapler, tape, the hammer and a first aid kit.

Note: If people aren’t good about putting things back so they are there for the next user, use some creative peer pressure tactics.

2. Exploration & Discovery. When training new employees, send them on a scavenger hunt instead of (or in addition to) giving the customary office tour.

Most new employees are so overwhelmed that if you take them on a tour and show them where you keep the paper cutter, it teaches them to come to you the first time they need it.

By the way, “Where did you say the paper cutter is?”

If the paper cutter is one of the items they are asked to find for the scavenger hunt, they will most likely remember. But if not, you have taught them to find it for themselves.

Include processes in your scavenger hunt as well…things “like a copy of the scavenger hunt list printed on recycled paper”. That’s much more instructive than showing them how to use the copier and then mentioning that “whenever possible, we like to use recycled paper.”

For more ideas, see this Sample Scavenger Hunt. The possibilities for exploration and discovery are endless. The hunt gets them working independently right away to find tools that will enable them to continue working independently in the future.

3. Checklists. Make a checklist for any frequent activity or process – packing for a trade show, ordering supplies, running errands, going to the grocery store, handling a customer complaint, closing the office for the night.

While some people think checklists stifle independence and creativity, I have found they allow for more of both. Why use time and energy remembering all the things needed for facilitating a management retreat, when I can consult a checklist? That frees my brain to create ways to connect uniquely with these particular participants in their particular industry.

4. Consolidate communication. What if you are getting lots of visitors, phone calls, reports, memos, e-mails – so many that you can’t handle them all?

Pay close attention to communication for at least three days. No special form is needed for this. A scrap piece of paper will do. Just jot down how many times each person on your team drops in for a “quick question?” How many e-mails you get from each person? On what topics?

The information you gather will reveal some trends you may want to change. Perhaps you could consolidate some of this communication.  For example – it could be more efficient and effective to meet with the CFO daily during a budget crisis instead of trading ten e-mails each day.

If you identify a trend and are unsure what to do, let me know and I’ll brainstorm it with you.

5. Answer questions with questions. When a staff member comes to you with a problem and wants to know how to handle it, ask a question like, “Well Jane, what are your ideas for how to handle it?”

If her ideas are good and you have no additional ideas, a good response would be, “Those are great ideas. Which one do you think is best in this situation?”

If you agree with her answer, congratulate her. If not, make suggestions for improvement. Soon you AND she will feel comfortable about her handling the situation without you.

6. Provide hands-on practice/preparation for dealing with breakdowns.    You may remember this story from “Lessons from Dad”.

Long long ago, Dad wanted to be sure his daughters were fully prepared for the challenges, responsibilities and potential problems of driving a car.  Most of all he worried about one of us getting stranded on the road.

So in addition to the driving tests required by the state – we had to pass the Harold Bolick test which included demonstrating to him that we could:

• lift the hood
•  check the oil, water and hoses
• change the oil
• change a tire – not just one but all four of them to be sure we could loosen all the lug nuts

Not a single one of our friends had to do this.  Just us.

It was absolutely ridiculous.

Thirty-five years later, it was time for my son to drive.

I remembered Dad’s test and how ridiculous it was.  And I also remembered how it gave me greater respect and awareness for the machine I was about to drive, for what it would be like if it broke down and I was stranded.  But if it did happen, I knew I could handle it.

The invention of  cell phones and AAA, made it unlikely that my son would ever be stranded for long.

Even so, we brought Dad in from Winston-Salem to put Ryan through the Harold Bolick pre-driving test.

And yes –   Ryan  thought the whole thing was ridiculous.

Just a few months later, he was about 100 miles away from home when he had a blow out. He called to tell me how he was handling it.  And I could be wrong, but I think he was very proud that he was prepared. And I think he was grateful too.  I know I was.

Being told what to do is good.  Reading about what to do is good.  Doing it is even better.  And doing all three is better still for building skill and confidence – leading to greater independence so that when things do go wrong, people and their organizations aren’t left stranded.

A wonderful boost for morale, productivity and overall performance.

For your team members, what situations might leave them stranded or vulnerable? A winter storm? A power outage? A flat tire?

What can you do to help them prepare?

That’s it. Six ways to help navigate your way to the more joyful side of independence.

There will still be some bumps. Maybe even some roadblocks.

But the potential rewards are so great for so many. Your staff members will become more competent and more self-confident. They will also become more confident in you and your leadership. Morale will improve. Your customers will get better answers quicker. You will have more time to focus on your priorities, meaning you will have a greater opportunity to achieve the results you want.

Ah – the joy of independence.

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