The Secret to Achieving Freedom Through Discipline

Autonomy is a core value at most firms - encouraging employees to be self-directed and take ownership of their roles as knowledge workers. By embodying this entrepreneurial spirit, accounting firms have experienced remarkable success in becoming independent decision-makers within their industry.

Unfortunately, this same drive for autonomy has made it very difficult to herd the firm and create cultures of accountability.

Conversations with leaders constantly reveal their desire for team members to take more ownership. Attempting accountability and goal setting can be intimidating, as they don't want to stifle creativity through micromanagement or suppress the entrepreneurial spirit within their teams. It's usually perceived to have the same role as Big Brother. But this perception is flawed - accountability enables more autonomy and freedom! It's all about finding that perfect balance between monitoring progress and simultaneously allowing your team members space to do their best work.

To explain this further, let's think about a frequently-used example.

Let's say you have a pasture of cows. Cows naturally stick close to one another for safety, not venturing too far when that pasture is unfenced. They don't feel comfortable and don't know where their boundaries are. When you fence in that pasture, they are now free to roam uninhibited within the limits of that pasture. They don't need each other for safety. They can be free to explore and express their independence.

Now, I'm not comparing our valuable employees to cows, but the principle is the same. You need to set expectations, create boundaries and provide resources so your team members can feel comfortable pushing the boundaries of their work, knowing that they are still within safe limits. When done correctly, your team members will feel empowered. Knowing their agreed-upon goals and boundaries, employees are more likely to explore with the level of curiosity that creates a healthy entrepreneurial spirit. This encourages them to come up with creative solutions to difficult problems and take risks without fear of failure.

When employees have clear boundaries and expectations, they are more likely to be motivated to contribute in meaningful ways.

It's important to remember that the right leadership style, clear communication, and understanding of expectations will help create a culture within an accounting firm that encourages individual ownership, creativity, and accountability. Leaders must consistently foster this environment to motivate their employees, particularly in times of change or crisis.

One quick word of warning, and this won't surprise you; we tend to overcomplicate the goal-setting and accountability process. I'm all for well-thought-out processes to support accountability, but my observation is we spend too much time on the process elements and not enough time on the beneficial functions. It's important to find the balance.

When leaders and their teams create clear goals and boundaries, they are more likely to be accountable for their actions and passionate about their work. Ultimately, adequately setting up an autonomous atmosphere in an accounting firm is essential for sustainable success — so ensure you're doing it correctly!

If I can be a thought leader with you on this subject, please let me know!