Autonomy is a HUGE benefit for so many of us. Just ask — er, watch — my dog Marcel in action. He loves to choose where to walk, whether to take the elevator or the stairs, and where and when to drink.

And we humans love our autonomy too. It serves as a feel-good reward in four ways, as I describe in this Forbes Coaches Council article, Why Autonomy Matters And How You Can Use It To Your Advantage, published online June 21, 2021.

Autonomy is a major factor in the ongoing debates about return to the office, work remotely or have a hybrid arrangement. Leaders who expect employees to return to the office five days a week need to be aware of the power of autonomy. Once we experience freedom of choice and the ability to control how we do things, including work, it can be hard to give up our autonomy.