Everyone loves the idea of self-managing teams

TL;DR; Self-managing teams need both autonomy and clear structure to be effective; Scrum provides this by allowing teams to decide how to deliver value within defined boundaries and shared goals. Too much control leads to disengagement, while too little causes chaos and lack of direction. Development managers should regularly assess whether their teams have the right balance of freedom and alignment to maintain productivity and adaptability.

Published on 18 March 2025

Written by Martin Hinshelwood

1 minute read

https://nkdagility.com/resources/xETx_jwnIHO

Everyone loves the idea of self-managing teams. Give people autonomy, let them decide how to work, and everything just falls into place, right?

Not quite.

Scrum isn’t about letting teams work however they like. It’s about bounded autonomy—freedom within a framework. Self-management means teams decide how to deliver value, but within the constraints of Scrum events, commitments, and organisational needs. The alignment comes from shared goals, accountability, and structure. Without it, self-management becomes chaos.

Too much control? Teams disengage, becoming passive executors. Too little? Work becomes fragmented, directionless, and ultimately ineffective. True agility is the ability to adapt while staying aligned with the bigger picture.

If your teams are struggling, ask yourself: Is the problem too much control, or too little alignment?

Also published on: LinkedIn

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