Do you champion autonomy and push your creative boundaries on the job? Take our test to find out if you’re an independent thinker at work.
1. Your job demands fixed timings. You:
A. Negotiate a flexible work schedule with your management
B. Silently struggle during working hours
C. Willingly punch in and out of office every day
2. When asked to contribute to a pitch for a new project, you:
A. Come up with a new plan or creative concept
B. Develop a creative concept, but feel hesitant to share it
C. Take the tried and tested route that guarantees success
3. ‘Work is not supposed to be fun. That’s why it’s called work’, says a colleague. Your response?
A. Make a list of things you can do to make your co-workers’ smile
B. Believe that excitement is good but do nothing to make it happen
C. Agree
4. When there’s a disagreement at work between seniors and team members you:
A. Raise it on your own
B. Ask your colleagues to speak up with you
C. Stay silent because you feel it’s risky to share your concerns
5. What do you do when you know your manager is wrong?
A. Share your point of view to drive a meaningful discussion
B. Avoid voicing your real thoughts
C. You believe the boss is always right
6. To you, being empowered at work means:
A. Being allowed to choose what you work on
B. Responsibility with less accountability
C. Letting your manager define your role
7. When it appears you won’t make a deadline because of circumstances outside your control, you may:
A. Have an emotional outburst
B. Seem mildly irritated
C. Find ways to blame others
8. When you’re in a meeting room full of people who just can’t keep up, you:
A. Listen, because you believe you can learn something from everyone
B. Argue, or shut them down, telling them why their idea is wrong or won’t work
C. Are okay with going slower
9. Failure is:
A. An important and valued part of the learning process
B. The feeling that everyone else is doing something great but me
C. Slacking at work and getting caught for it
10. How would you describe your work style?
A. Experimenting to see what works best
B. Following the same routine despite knowing it’s a waste of your potential
C. Big believer in standardized processes
If you’re mostly A’s, you’re a Workplace Freedom Fighter!
A person who forges ahead with new ideas and initiatives, you’re unafraid of confrontation. You hold yourself accountable at work and aren’t afraid to make mistakes. Yes, you may need to work on keeping your emotions in check, but even so you’re an asset to your organization.
If you’re mostly B’s, you need to add more freedom to your work life.
There’s a ton of research that proves employees who exercise autonomy regularly at work are happier and more productive. Clearly, you want more freedom at work but are having a hard time motivating yourself to pursue it. Could it be because you are pursuing something you don’t personally value? Maybe it’s time to #FindBetter here.
If you’re mostly C’s, you need to improve your ambition at work
You can improve and develop your ambition the same way you work on any other skill. Begin by looking at people who are excited by their jobs – when you #LoveWhatYouDo, you work with enthusiasm because it’s a career that’s right for you. Don’t let yourself get stuck in a rut. Set goals, unleash your creativity and aim for greatness.
