Want More Accountability? Give Away Control.
- Cristina Stensvaag
- Oct 22, 2025
- 2 min read
Great leaders don’t control every move. They build clarity, trust, and confidence to empower their teams.
October 23, 2025
Originally published in One More Rep, our weekly leadership newsletter. 👉 Subscribe here
Great teams are built on leaders who own outcomes instead of shifting blame. When leaders take responsibility first, accountability becomes a strength. The next level of ownership is empowering others to lead. This week, we’re looking at Decentralized Command, the practice of pushing decisions down and trusting your team.
Read
In Extreme Ownership, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin describe how the best leaders don’t try to control every detail. They push decisions down to the people closest to the problem.
This concept, called Decentralized Command, means every team member must understand not only what to do, but why it matters. Leaders must trust their people to act on intent, not instruction.
When people know the mission, the goal, and the intent behind a plan, they can act independently and confidently. Micromanagement kills speed and morale while clarity and trust fuel initiative.
Rep
In your next 1:1 or team meeting, identify one area where you can delegate real ownership, not just tasks.
Say: “You decide. Tell me what you intend to do and why.”
Then step back and let them run with it. When they check in, resist the urge to take control. Instead, coach through questions:
“What’s your plan?”
“What’s your backup if this doesn’t work?”
“What support do you need from me?”
Reflect
Where am I holding on to decisions that my team could own?
What would happen if I trusted my people more fully?
Do my team members know the mission well enough to act without me?
What am I afraid of losing by letting go?
Empowerment is accountability in action. When you push decisions down, you pull your team up.
