You get handed a task. The work is the problem behind it.
You’re asked to chase a client about an unpaid invoice. Opening the file, you see the invoice went to an address that’s no longer right. The reminder takes five minutes. The problem will hit every invoice that client gets.
Autonomy means moving forward without every step spelled out: understanding the why, proposing what comes next, deciding what’s within your remit, flagging fast what isn’t.
Asking for help is part of it. Staying stuck without saying so is a decision too.
To start: before your next task, ask what it’s for. If you can’t explain it, you’re not ready to do it.
To go further: bring the problem with a proposal.
If you’re growing a team: make clear what belongs to the team. A roadmap nobody may refuse is a queue. The ⇄ cards cover this.
A sign it’s working: you can state the goal, your next action, and what you’re missing to carry it out.
Next: understanding, to see what happens before and after your work.