The Secret to Autonomy & Empowerment at Work

Let’s talk about autonomy and empowerment—two things that every leader wants in their team but sometimes struggles to cultivate. You don’t just want employees who check the boxes and do exactly what they’re told. You want them to be creative, to solve problems, and to actively contribute to the growth of your company.

It all starts with one key idea I’ve preached for years: OWN YOUR ROLE

Gary Gunderson says it like this: “When you hire for a task, you create enslavement for yourself. When you hire for a role, you create freedom for the whole team.” I often flip this quote when speaking to team members: “When you only perform your task, you create enslavement for yourself, but when you own your role, you create freedom for the whole team.”

Let me take you back to when I learned this lesson firsthand. The summer after high school, I auditioned for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parade at Disneyland. I made it through round after round of cuts, dreaming of dancing alongside my childhood heroes. Finally, my name was called: “Dino Watt, congratulations! You’ll be a… dancing alligator.”

Not exactly the dream gig.

At first, I was disappointed. But then I went through Disney University, where I learned something that changed my perspective forever. At Disney, every cast member has a singular, overarching role: make it a magical day. That’s it. Whether it rains, an attraction breaks down, or a kid drops their ice cream, the job is to find a way to create magic.

This shift in mindset changed everything. I wasn’t just a guy sweating in a massive alligator suit. I was part of the magic. And that meant I could go beyond just marching and waving—I could make a kid’s day by finding them in the crowd, giving them a special moment, and making them feel like the parade was just for them. That’s the difference between performing a task and owning your role.

When you own your role, you:

Elevate your position naturally
Become more proactive
Develop a high level of accountability
Align yourself with the company’s mission
Make work infinitely more rewarding (and, dare I say, fun)

There’s a social media trend floating around that says, “Why should I do anything beyond what I’m asked to do?” Here’s the problem: that mindset stunts growth—both personal and professional. Your career, your skillset, and your income all grow in direct proportion to the value you create. And when you own your role, you naturally add more value.

If you want to dive deeper into how to cultivate these traits and truly own your role, my EQ Accelerator training is the perfect next step. It’s designed to help you develop the emotional intelligence, accountability, and leadership skills needed to create real autonomy—for yourself and your team.

Click here to enroll in EQ Accelerator now

Here’s the bottom line: If you want more autonomy, master accountability. If you want more empowerment, learn to create value beyond the bare minimum. And if you want the tools to do it? I’ve got you covered inside the EQ Accelerator.

Proactive, Productive and Profitable,

Dino