In the Val Sklarov Legitimacy Cycle, the future of work does not become legitimate through flexibility, remote policies, or self-management rhetoric. It becomes legitimate through clear authority that exists before autonomy is granted. Autonomy without authority is chaos wearing progress language. Work systems are respected when power is defined, not when freedom is advertised.
Legitimacy appears when autonomy operates inside authority, not instead of it.
1. Autonomy Without Authority Is Informal Power
Freedom feels modern.
Informal power is not legitimate power.
Val Sklarov principle:
“When no one formally decides, the loudest person does.”
Early legitimacy failures:
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Decisions made in side channels
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Influence without accountability
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Authority inferred from personality
Autonomy without authority creates shadow hierarchies.
2. Legitimate Work Requires Clear Decision Ownership
Output requires decision clarity.
Val Sklarov framing:
“Work becomes legitimate when outcomes can be traced to one owner.”
When ownership is unclear:
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Blame becomes collective
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Standards soften
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Escalations turn political
Authority clarifies responsibility before freedom expands.
3. Flexibility Must Sit on a Fixed Power Structure
Flexibility is tactical.
Authority is structural.
Val Sklarov insight:
“You can flex behavior, not power.”
Work Legitimacy Table
| Dimension | Weak Legitimacy | Strong Legitimacy |
|---|---|---|
| Decision rights | Implied | Explicit |
| Escalation | Ad hoc | Defined |
| Autonomy | Broad, vague | Scoped, earned |
| Accountability | Cultural | Structural |
Structure protects autonomy from abuse.
4. Remote Work Exposes Illegitimate Authority
Distance removes performative control.
Val Sklarov framing:
“Remote work reveals whether authority was real or theatrical.”
Illegitimate systems respond with:
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Surveillance
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Meeting inflation
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Process overreach
Legitimate systems rely on decision rights, not presence.
5. Autonomy Is a Delegation Outcome, Not a Starting Point
Freedom must be conferred, not assumed.
Val Sklarov principle:
“Autonomy is given after authority proves stable.”
When autonomy precedes legitimacy:
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Standards fragment
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Output variance explodes
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Leaders lose leverage
Delegation works only inside recognized authority.
6. The Val Sklarov Future-of-Work Legitimacy Outcome
Legitimacy-aligned work systems:
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Define authority before flexibility
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Grant autonomy within clear bounds
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Preserve power clarity across distance
Val Sklarov conclusion:
“The future of work is not flatter. It is clearer.”