Competency Category 3: 

Acting Autonomously Acting autonomously does not mean functioning in social isolation. On the contrary, it requires an awareness of one’s environment, of social dynamics and of the roles one plays and wants to play. It requires individuals to be empowered to manage their lives in meaningful and responsible ways by exercising control over their living and working conditions.

Individuals must act autonomously in order to participate effectively in the development of society and to function well in different spheres of life including the workplace, family life and social life. This is because they need to develop independently an identity and to make choices, rather than just follow the crowd. In doing so, they need to reflect on their values and on their actions.

Acting autonomously is particularly important in the modern world where each person’s position is not as well-defined as was the case traditionally. Individuals need to create a personal identity in order to give their lives meaning, to define how they fit in. One illustration of this is with respect to work, where there are fewer stable, lifelong occupations working for a single employer.

In general, autonomy requires an orientation towards the future and an awareness of one’s environment, of social dynamics and of the roles one plays and wants to play. It assumes the possession of a sound self-concept and the ability to translate needs and wants into acts of will: decision, choice and action.