The Strategy Business website says that in order to achieve this delicate balance, you should keep to the following rules:
Clearly communicated strategy
First of all, you must clearly communicate the common strategy to the team. Employees can (and must) work on their own, but at the same time they need to keep in mind the wider context of the work they are doing. Clearly define the priorities of the team, your strategy, vision and rules that apply to work in your team and in the company as a whole.
Clearly defined limits
When offering employees space for their own initiative, you must also clearly define the parameters. The area within which your employees can work on their own must have clear limits and team members must know exactly where their rights end.
Shared vision of the whole team
Team work can never work well if the team as a whole does not share a common vision. This must be a clear goal towards which everyone is heading. In order for this vision to bind the whole team together, it must be specific, measurable and defined by concrete parameters.
Detailed definition of responsibilities
The rules must be clearly defined. This applies also to the rights and obligations of individual employees. Define clearly who is responsible for what, acquaint everybody with what their role entails and what is expected of them. Only then will your team be able to work efficiently while maintaining a degree of individual freedom.
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