Autonomy is one of the main contributors to intrinsic motivation. I like to think of it as: “Having a say in what you do, when you do it, where you do it, and with whom you do it.”

These four elements of autonomy are not black-and-white, but more like dials you can adjust. Think of each as being on a sliding scale—you can dial them up or down.

What you do

Example: Choosing your next task

• Low autonomy: Your tasks are assigned to you.
• Medium autonomy: You agree with your team during a daily standup on what to tackle next.
• High autonomy: You have complete freedom to decide which task comes next.

When you do it

Example: Balancing work and picking up your kids from school

• Low autonomy: You have no flexibility and need to ask someone else to pick up the kids.
• Medium autonomy: You check in with your team if it's OK to finish your work later.
• High autonomy: You just finish the task in the evening after the kids are in bed.

Where you do it

Example: Working from home

• Low autonomy: You must be in the office every day.
• Medium autonomy: You’re required to be in the office 60% of the time.
• High autonomy: You decide where to work from, whether it’s home, the office, or a coffee shop.

With whom you do it

Example: Team formation

• Low autonomy: You are assigned to a team without your input.
• Medium autonomy: You pick a team within pre-defined constraints during a workshop with your colleagues.
• High autonomy: You freely choose which teams to join and leave.

A simple experiment

1. Take 15 minutes to reflect on your current level of autonomy: How are your "autonomy dials" set right now? Are you satisfied with where they are, or would you like to make adjustments? (Keep in mind, higher autonomy comes with more responsibility. Don't aim for maximizing autonomy. Aim for optimizing autonomy according to your current preferences.)
2. Have a conversation with your people lead. What small changes could help you get closer to your desired level of autonomy?

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