let-us be blunt

TL;DR; Accountability in Scrum only works if people also have the authority to make decisions and remove obstacles; otherwise, roles become meaningless and teams are set up to fail. To achieve real results, ensure your Product Owners, Scrum Masters, and Developers have both responsibility and the power to act. Review your organisation to identify where you may be limiting agency while still expecting accountability.

Published on 10 May 2025

Written by Martin Hinshelwood

1 minute read

https://nkdagility.com/resources/0A8ONYVbWlL

Let’s be blunt:

Those expected to deliver results must have control over what influences their delivery.

In Scrum, the Product Owner is accountable for maximising value — but if they can’t reprioritise the backlog, they’re a backlog secretary.
The Scrum Master is accountable for team effectiveness — but if they can’t challenge organisational dysfunction, they’re a meeting host.
Developers are accountable for the Increment — but if they can’t decide how to build it, they’re just order-takers.

This is why agency matters.
Without it, accountability is performative.
You are setting people up to fail.

If you want real Scrum — not Scrum theatre — you must pair accountability with the agency to remove impediments, challenge dysfunction, and enforce realignment where necessary.

Stop pretending people are accountable when you’ve stripped away their ability to act.

Where in your organisation have you tied people’s hands while still expecting them to carry the weight?

Also published on: LinkedIn

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