I learned that lesson as a newly promoted Regional Director at ClearNET, shortly after the launch of the MiKe network.

Performance in our B2B corporate dealerships wasn’t where it needed to be, and the company made bold moves — replacing the president and all regional directors. John MacDonald moved from Regional Director of Western Canada to President, and I was promoted from GTA Sales Manager to lead Ontario.

The mandate from our EVP of Sales and Marketing, Wade Oosterman, was clear: Shake things up. Challenge the sales model. Think differently.

Both John and Wade believed deeply in autonomy. Their mindset was clear:

“Hire smart people, then let them lead.”

John gave us real ownership of our regions. No top-down playbook. No one-size-fits-all solutions. We were trusted to adapt to our markets and make the right calls.

A few months in, I was presenting my business plan at an ELT review. Our CEO, George Cope, asked me:

“Have you considered X?”

He made a strong case for it. I explained why I had considered it — and why I’d chosen a different path.

Then came the moment that stuck with me:

“It’s your business. You need to decide what to do.”

That wasn’t a veiled warning. It was sincere trust. He wasn’t saying, “Go ahead, but this is on you.” He was saying, “I believe you’ve got this.”

I left that room feeling empowered, not exposed. Trusted, not tested.

And I also remember quietly telling myself: Revisit that idea. Not because you were challenged, but because I respect who it came from.  I didn’t want to be right — I wanted to get it right.

That’s when it clicked: 

👉 Autonomy is a powerful lever for intrinsic motivation. It turns responsibility into ownership — and ownership into accountability.

When people feel trusted, they show up differently. They lead differently. And they strive to get it right — not just because it’s expected, but because it matters.

#Leadership #Accountability #Autonomy #IntrinsicMotivation #Trust #Coaching #Ownership #ClearNET #GeorgeCope #WadeOosterman #LeadershipLessons