Balancing Autonomy with Accountability cover image

Balancing Autonomy with Accountability

Autonomy is a critically important concept in agile culture, however ignore its counterbalance - accountability - at your peril.

Profile image of Edwin Dando
Nov 18, 2018 • 5 min read
4.89 (9)
Autonomy
Coaching & Mentoring
Accountability
Balanced Scorecard
Product Engagement

Summary

Organizations are embracing self-governance by passing over the decision-making responsibilities from the executives to the staff working closely with the customers. Edwin Dando argues that the strategy is not yielding great organizational results based on a firm that he encountered. This is because organizations are increasing autonomy but at the same time, failing to balance it with accountability. He notes that the aftermath affects the flow of fatal information from the customers to the executives as those responsible to deliver are not held accountable. Find out more in the text about why autonomy and accountability should work in tandem to achieve better organizational goals.

Takeaways

  • Autonomy and accountability should work in tandem to stir the organizations towards great results.
  • Increasing autonomy and failure to exert accountability in an organization could lead to poor deliverance of fatal information from the customers to the executives.
  • Many organizations are embracing agile ways of working in an attempt to build faster, more customer-focused, and resilient organizations through autonomy.

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