21
Antipattern #21 · ownership · p. 177
Diluting Accountability
For breakfast, chickens contribute, but pigs commit; they foster action and engaged teams.
The Tin Man Behavior
Giving many people a partial say in decisions without any one person having final say or owning outcomes.
The Results
- ·Painfully slow, inconsistent, punted decision-making
- ·Stalled and failed initiatives
- ·Paralysis and a blame culture ensue
How Octopus Organizations Behave Instead
- ↳They empower "single-threaded leaders" who have authority over and accountability for decisions and deliverables.
- ↳They value, coach, and reward people who take ownership of decisions and outcomes.
- ↳They actively fight against indecision masked as consensus building and lack of ownership.