Failing Forward and the Power of Autonomy in Leadership
One of our morning show clients recently added two young and relatively inexperienced cohosts to a seasoned host’s show. Instead of restricting their talk time, we advised the host to give them enough space to contribute—even to the point of failure.
This concept is known as “failing forward.” It’s a practice where employees are encouraged to learn and grow from their mistakes. The result? The young players grew immediately, and the show became more engaging and dynamic.
Toyota’s Kaizen Philosophy embodies this idea. It encourages employees to report errors, no matter how small, as these are seen as opportunities to enhance quality and efficiency. Similarly, failing forward builds a culture of learning without fear of punishment for mistakes.
In my twenty-five years of coaching talent, I’ve learned that tightening the reins on new players or shows too much in the beginning restricts a programmer’s ability to identify their strengths. When new voices are given the autonomy to experiment, it leads to a clearer understanding of where their unique talents lie.
Control or Autonomy?
Management has been grappling with this question for decades. A recent review published in Psychological Bulletin examined 139 separate studies on leadership styles and concluded that successful leaders value autonomy.
Amazon’s recent mandate requiring all employees to be back in the office starting in 2025 contradicts these findings. It will be interesting to see how that unfolds—my bet is not so well.
Examples of Autonomy Driving Innovation:
- Google’s 20% Time Policy: Google allows employees to spend 20% of their work time on personal projects. This autonomy led to innovations like Gmail and Google Maps.
- Spotify’s Squad System: Spotify organizes its teams into “squads,” giving each autonomy over specific features. The result is higher productivity and faster product delivery.
- 3M’s Innovation Time: Similar to Google, 3M lets employees dedicate time to personal projects, leading to the creation of Post-it Notes.
The Value of Autonomy in Leadership:
Whether you’re a general manager, sales manager, program director, or brand manager, embracing autonomy offers key advantages:
- Empowers team members
- Encourages innovation
- Builds trust
- Facilitates faster decision-making
- Increases job satisfaction
Autonomy on Multi-Cast Shows:
Autonomy can lead to enhanced creativity, stronger collaboration, and more dynamic content in multi-cast radio and podcast shows. Here’s how:
- Ownership of Segments and Responsibilities: Cohesive shows assign specific responsibilities that align with each cast member’s strengths. Some are better storytellers, while others excel at reacting.
- Inclusive Planning: Ensure all players are involved in the planning process. Unfortunately, we’ve seen male hosts exclude female cohosts from planning discussions for shows targeted to women—an easy way to alienate your audience with irrelevant content.
- Rotating Roles: For new shows, establishing a mic sequence (first, second, third mic) creates familiarity with listeners. Once personalities are established, a cohost can lead a segment when they’re the focus of the content. An open mic policy can also work with established shows.
- Guest Selection and Lead Interviewer: When a guest relevant to your audience is booked, allow the player with the most passion or expertise on the topic to lead the conversation.
The Wrap:
Autonomy in leadership and on personality-driven shows drives creativity, improves efficiency, and, most importantly, fosters a sense of ownership among team members. Whether managing a team or producing a show, autonomy can unlock higher performance and a more engaging experience.
Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash
