{
  "author": {
    "name": "Dylan Fitzgerald",
    "url": "https://dylanfitzgerald.net/"
  },
  "blyg": "0.4",
  "changelog": [
    {
      "at": "2022-07-26T03:27:00Z",
      "note": "Imported from the Ctrl+Shift archive",
      "version": 1
    }
  ],
  "content_hash": "sha256:2b96a345922c9d5e7f2e907d2fbb09cf3876c66a12e989663fa4e77090efa2de",
  "content_html": "\u003ch1\u003eResponsibility, accoutability, autonomy, and competence\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey need to be roughly proportionate. The ideal presented by business and self-improvement books and blogs aplenty is to have all of these at high levels, but that\u0026rsquo;s far from the whole story. The big deal here is \u003cspan class=\"underline\"\u003ealignment\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"competence-is-the-hardest-to-adjust-so-align-based-upon-it\"\u003eCompetence is the hardest to adjust, so align based upon it\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf an individual or a team has a relatively low level of subject competence, giving them high levels of responsibility, accountability, and autonomy is setting them up for a public failure. That doesn\u0026rsquo;t help anybody. These more junior folks benefit from some guidance and hand-holding\u0026ndash;not as a judgment or micromanagement, but simply to help them grow. (Hence concerns about moving to all-remote workplaces and supporting junior staff members, though ultimately that\u0026rsquo;s addressable; future blog post to follow.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor individuals, subject matter competence is the peg the rest of these elements need to align with; for teams, you can change the personnel mix to nudge things if needed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can bias these elements a little higher or lower depending on your sense of folks\u0026rsquo; drive and hunger, but let them know when you do so, or you risk having to repair after they fail.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"once-you-ve-got-high-competence-don-t-skimp-on-an-element-dot\"\u003eOnce you\u0026rsquo;ve got high competence, don\u0026rsquo;t skimp on an element.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHigh accountability without responsibility means being judged for others\u0026rsquo; actions without any control. It\u0026rsquo;s unfair.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResponsibility without accountability is free reign without feedback. Folks won\u0026rsquo;t have the information they need to grow and improve.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAutonomy without responsibility or accountability is unstructured without a mission. There are people that thrive in this, but if you\u0026rsquo;re not sure, they probably won\u0026rsquo;t.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResponsibility without autonomy is stifling and prevents folks from owning their decisions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd so on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"keep-it-proportional-dot\"\u003eKeep it proportional.\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeasure or estimate competence, then set responsibility, accountability, and autonomy to fit. Your juniors will appreciate the guidance, and you\u0026rsquo;ll make space for your more experienced staff to fly.\u003c/p\u003e\n",
  "content_md": "# Responsibility, accoutability, autonomy, and competence\n\nThey need to be roughly proportionate. The ideal presented by business and self-improvement books and blogs aplenty is to have all of these at high levels, but that's far from the whole story. The big deal here is \u003cspan class=\"underline\"\u003ealignment\u003c/span\u003e.\n\n\n## Competence is the hardest to adjust, so align based upon it {#competence-is-the-hardest-to-adjust-so-align-based-upon-it}\n\nIf an individual or a team has a relatively low level of subject competence, giving them high levels of responsibility, accountability, and autonomy is setting them up for a public failure. That doesn't help anybody. These more junior folks benefit from some guidance and hand-holding--not as a judgment or micromanagement, but simply to help them grow. (Hence concerns about moving to all-remote workplaces and supporting junior staff members, though ultimately that's addressable; future blog post to follow.)\n\nFor individuals, subject matter competence is the peg the rest of these elements need to align with; for teams, you can change the personnel mix to nudge things if needed.\n\nYou can bias these elements a little higher or lower depending on your sense of folks' drive and hunger, but let them know when you do so, or you risk having to repair after they fail.\n\n\n## Once you've got high competence, don't skimp on an element. {#once-you-ve-got-high-competence-don-t-skimp-on-an-element-dot}\n\n-   High accountability without responsibility means being judged for others' actions without any control. It's unfair.\n-   Responsibility without accountability is free reign without feedback. Folks won't have the information they need to grow and improve.\n-   Autonomy without responsibility or accountability is unstructured without a mission. There are people that thrive in this, but if you're not sure, they probably won't.\n-   Responsibility without autonomy is stifling and prevents folks from owning their decisions.\n\nAnd so on.\n\n\n## Keep it proportional. {#keep-it-proportional-dot}\n\nMeasure or estimate competence, then set responsibility, accountability, and autonomy to fit. Your juniors will appreciate the guidance, and you'll make space for your more experienced staff to fly.",
  "created": "2022-07-26T03:27:00Z",
  "id": "1fwwbbnjcqxvx1gj60cp6dkpb9",
  "kind": "thread",
  "media": [],
  "origin": "https://dylanfitzgerald.net/blyg/",
  "page": "https://dylanfitzgerald.net/blog/responsibility_accountability_autonomy_competence/",
  "transclusions": [],
  "updated": "2022-07-26T03:27:00Z",
  "version": 1
}