Why control slows things down

Team Autonomy and Parkinson’s Law

Have you ever noticed how a task that could be done in half an hour somehow takes all morning? Or how a small decision drags on for weeks? Welcome to Parkinson’s Law: “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.”

This principle, coined in 1955 by Cyril Northcote Parkinson, could have been written to describe many modern organizations. Endless meetings, decisions bouncing up and down the hierarchy, emails awaiting eternal replies. But it's not just a matter of time — it’s a matter of autonomy.

When no one is allowed to decide, everything slows down

In many organizations, people don’t have permission to resolve things. They have to ask. Validate. Wait. And while they wait… work stalls, stretches, and cools down.

The lack of autonomy not only demotivates — it turns Parkinson’s Law into the company’s default operating rhythm.

When a team has no real decision-making power, time becomes a blurry space filled with unnecessary tasks, redundant controls, and processes that add no value. What could be solved in a morning becomes a two-week project. Not because the task demands it — but because the system allows nothing else.

What happens when there's autonomy?

When you give teams real decision-making power (with purpose, context, and clear boundaries), something changes:

• They make decisions closer to the problem.

• They adjust timing based on real knowledge of the process.

• They avoid “just in case” work inflation.

• They take ownership of the outcome — not just task execution.

And because they own the work, they don’t fall into the inertia of Parkinson’s Law. They know that if they don’t do it well and fast, no one else will.

But… won’t everything spiral out of control?

Not if the framework is well designed.

Autonomy isn’t chaos. It’s freedom within a clear system. In fact, the more mature the team, the more autonomy they can handle without losing effectiveness.

You need a clear purpose (so they know why they’re doing what they’re doing), shared standards (what “well done” means here), agile coordination channels (to prevent decision bottlenecks), and regular review rhythms (to align and adapt — not control).

When these elements are in place, you can release control without losing direction. And that’s when productivity soars — not from pressure, but from shared responsibility.

An example

In one of my clients' companies, the marketing leads couldn’t launch a campaign without top management’s approval — even for small budgets. It took weeks to get the green light. We worked to set up a clear system: any campaign under a certain budget, aligned with quarterly objectives, could be launched without permission, as long as testing results were reported.The result: faster campaigns, more creativity, and better outcomes.

And the most telling part? No one missed the approvals from above.

The real enemy: your decision-making system

Because when every step requires validation, what you’re dragging out isn’t just the task — it’s your team’s energy. Commitment fades. Creativity dims. Ownership disappears.

So if you lead a team or a company, ask yourself this uncomfortable question:

Do people need to wait to move forward… or do they have permission to decide?

If they’re waiting, Parkinson’s Law is already working for you.If they’re deciding responsibly, you’re building real autonomy.And that —not obsessive control— is what gives you speed, trust, and results.