What do you do if your team members struggle with balancing autonomy and accountability?

É crucial comunicar de forma explícita os objetivos e limites dentro dos quais os membros da equipe têm liberdade para operar. Essa clareza possibilita que eles façam escolhas e tomem ações alinhadas com os objetivos coletivos. Com uma comunicação eficaz e sem ambiguidades, os membros da equipe entendem claramente o escopo de sua autonomia, permitindo-lhes inovar e decidir com confiança, sabendo que estão dentro dos parâmetros estabelecidos.

Set explicit goals and define roles clearly to ensure everyone understands their responsibilities. Communicate the desired outcomes and the standards for success. This clarity helps team members balance their autonomy with accountability, knowing exactly what is expected of them.

Provide the necessary tools, resources, and training to empower your team. Equip them with the skills and support needed to make informed decisions independently. Empowerment increases confidence and competence, facilitating a better balance between autonomy and accountability.

Its good to set-up feedback session may be weekly or as the project demands. Sometimes manager's label it as "Review" sessions which changes the mindset of working team as if they would be reviewed. Its good if the manager clarifies upfront and clearly that these sessions or loops are for feedback - constructive and corrective purposes not for evaluation or review.

If your team is struggling in the area of accountability and autonomy, it's likely that they need feedback from you. Make sure you balance distance with an open door. Give them freedom of movement, but don't forget about them. Set intervals of time to be hands-off, but then come back to coach up and give feedback. This flow will give them the freedom they need to execute on their ideas--and the safety net they need to see if they are on the right track. When you give feedback, be direct, honest, candid, and kind. Call out what impresses you. Offer ways to improve what doesn't. Don't take over the project. Hand it back and ask them to improve. Doing this will build your confidence in them, and their confidence in themselves.

Establish regular feedback loops to monitor progress and provide guidance. Frequent check-ins allow for timely course corrections and support. Constructive feedback helps team members understand their performance and areas needing improvement, ensuring accountability while fostering independence.

Balancing autonomy and accountability means walking a fine line. And you, as a leader, of the creative team determine how well they walk that line. Autonomy. You have to make sure that you set your team up for success. Give them your expectations and parameters and then trust them to execute on it. Respect them enough to step back and let them do the work. Resist the urge to peek over their shoulder or offer suggestions. This erodes trust. Accountability. That's not to say that you don't hold them accountable. Once the work reaches a certain point, step back in. Be respectful, but offer feedback. Show them how to improve. Then give them a chance to refine and revise. A leader who demonstrates trust is a leader people will follow.

Cultivate an environment of trust and respect within the team. Trust your team members to make decisions and respect their autonomy. This mutual trust encourages accountability as team members feel valued and responsible for their contributions.

Define clear, measurable outcomes to track progress and success. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess individual and team performance. Measurable outcomes provide a concrete basis for accountability while allowing team members the freedom to choose how to achieve them.

As a leader, sometimes you can forget that what is intuitive to you, might not be for your team. This is where you need to adjust the level of autonomy you give. Examine each team member individually and determine their comfort level with the responsibilities you hope to delegate. Make sure that you set them up for success. Give them enough to challenge them, but not so much you overwhelm them. As you coach your team and give feedback, revisit expectations and ensure they have what they need to succeed. Be willing to adjust as needed so you set them, and the creative project, up for success.

Recognize that different team members may require varying levels of autonomy. Adjust the degree of autonomy based on individual capabilities and needs. Flexibility in management style ensures that each team member can effectively balance autonomy and accountability.

Consider implementing a mentorship program where experienced team members guide those struggling with autonomy and accountability. Sharing personal experiences and strategies can provide practical insights and foster a supportive learning environment. Being the first to add your personal experience can set a positive example and encourage others to follow.

joint - Reading the book "one-minute manager" and may be conducting a workshop or joint reflection session on it really helped for us. It gave sense of responsibility on the ownership, roles and autonomy to each one. That's a good quick fix to create awareness on the subject.