> When you hire great people, you can afford to give them a lot of autonomy.
I think you have this completely backwards: in order to be great, autonomy is required. There's much written about motivations and what makes people happy in the workplace but micromanagement is one of the most easily recognizable anti-habits of a bad work environment. It breeds resentment and engenders an atmosphere of distrust. Bring out the best in people by giving them autonomy.
Not everyone has the right personality to work for places like Stripe or Valve. They are specifically picking people who can self-direct themselves in a way that is beneficial to the company.
I think you have this completely backwards: in order to be great, autonomy is required. There's much written about motivations and what makes people happy in the workplace but micromanagement is one of the most easily recognizable anti-habits of a bad work environment. It breeds resentment and engenders an atmosphere of distrust. Bring out the best in people by giving them autonomy.