In the long run, the company that has the highest number of decisions made with autonomy wins it. In a way, it all comes down to bringing together a group of highly action-oriented individuals who more or less share a common understanding of a set of values. Which, by the way, can be used as a very raw definition of culture. Action-seeking, culturally close individuals can do a lot if there is a solid plan laid out to achieve something.

That said, granting autonomy may be a big deal for some, as I’ve seen this firsthand. It’s proved to be doable only if there is mutual trust, a stomach for mistakes, and a low-ego culture within an organisation. One can only let others make decisions if one believes others’ judgement. One can only let others make decisions if mistakes are considered acceptable and digestible. One can only let others make decisions if one is content with not being the one who makes the calls.

Yes, there will be mistakes. And shrewd, action-oriented operators are hard to come by. But, the downside of following a strict chain of command is bigger than the alternative and it yields results in a slow fashion, at best. Fast decisions with a 10% margin of error would yield better results than slow decisions with a 1% margin of error. Error-averse behaviour eventually constructs the status quo, which may well be to the benefit of those who are protected by the slow pace of things developing. But in building something in a fast-paced setting, it’s best to put out something fast, even though the error rate is slightly worrying.

So, for a founding team, there are two must-dos. The first thing is to focus on cultivating an atmosphere that leads individuals to take action versus seeking consensus. Let everyone know taking action is the first rule. No matter how much you explain this, it’s never going to be understood as long as you do it first. So, make mistakes and openly own them. Show people how it hurts and how you handle the consequences. Inject the idea of experimentation, and all the things that come with the concept. The second thing, once you’ve set out what you expect, be selective. Bear abysmal conversion rates in your talent acquisition efforts for a long time as you go after highly ambitious individuals with a strong sense of ownership. You need to have the tenacity to go through countless interviews and opportunities to find those who will own the things you set out to build and defend them when necessary, sometimes against you. If you’ve got enough runway, these two things will let you get your wings in the air.

Be bullish on individuals. Be bullish on giving autonomy. Be patient finding the right people.