The Illusion of Shared Ownership

When Everyone’s Responsible, No One Is—and How to Take Back Control

Shared ownership often sounds like a collaborative dream, but in reality, it can lead to a collective nightmare—where everyone assumes someone else will take charge.

Who hasn’t witnessed the following situation? A critical bug is assigned to a team and sits unfixed for days or weeks. That inaction led to larger issues, but the real problem was quite simple: no one was truly responsible.

And this goes beyond having high-agency individuals on your team. Even the most focused, capable team members might prioritize their own tasks, assuming others will handle the shared ones.

Look, this isn’t a productivity issue—it’s an accountability problem. Shared ownership is often mistaken for teamwork, but without clarity, it creates more problems than it solves.

The Problem with Shared Ownership

In theory, shared ownership means collective responsibility. In practice, it often means no one is in charge.

When everyone is equally responsible for a task, it’s easy for individuals to step back, assuming someone else will take the lead. This tendency is explained by the Bystander Effect, a psychological phenomenon where people are less likely to act when others are present, assuming someone else will step in.

In an engineering context, this could look like a project assigned to a group of people or multiple individuals that sits unresolved because no one feels accountable. The risks of shared ownership are clear.

• Accountability evaporates.

• Critical tasks fall through the cracks.

• Trust within the team and with stakeholders erodes.

Shared ownership dilutes accountability. Even small tasks can lead to significant failures without a single point of responsibility.

“Responsibility is not something you share. It’s something you take.”

– Peter Drucker

The Car Ownership Analogy

Recently, I was discussing with my wife when we should replace our old Dacia (I know, but I like to pretend I’m still poor) with a new car and which of us should own it. In Spain, every vehicle must have a single registered owner, even if multiple people use it.

Why is this the case? Because clear accountability is critical. If a car is involved in an accident, incurs a traffic violation, or requires insurance, someone must be legally and practically responsible. Imagine a scenario where an auto has three co-owners, and a speeding ticket arrives in the mail. Who pays the fine? Who ensures the car is insured or maintained? Without one designated owner, the answers become foggy, leading to disputes and delays.

When we think about ownership in real life, as in the car ownership analogy, it’s easy to see how shared responsibility can quickly turn into chaos.

This principle applies perfectly to engineering teams. A project or task might involve many contributors, but someone must ultimately own it and be accountable. Like the registered car owner, this person ensures the work is delivered, even if others help along the way.

The Solution: Directly Responsible Individuals (DRI)

As in the car ownership model, the solution is simple and effective: every task, issue, or project should have a single “owner.” This doesn’t mean that the owner has to do all the work themselves; instead, they are accountable for its completion. Like the registered car owner, they ensure everything runs smoothly, even if others are involved.

To solve the accountability gap, many organizations use the concept of Directly Responsible Individuals (DRIs). Popularized by Apple, DRIs ensure every task, project, or deliverable has a single accountable owner.

What DRIs do:

• Monitor progress: Keep tasks on track and resolve blockers.

• Facilitate collaboration: Involve others while staying accountable.

• Make decisions: Take ownership of outcomes, good or bad.

• Deliver results: Ensure completion, even if they delegate work.

By assigning DRIs, teams eliminate ambiguity, combat the Bystander Effect, and foster a culture of accountability. Everyone knows who is responsible, which accelerates decision-making, builds trust, and ultimately delivers better outcomes.

Practical Strategies for Leaders

Throughout my 20+ years in the tech industry, I have observed teams fail multiple times due to the shared ownership trap. Yet, implementing clear ownership in your team doesn’t require a complete overhaul.

Here are some straightforward yet effective strategies that you can implement as a leader or manager:

1. Assign ownership explicitly: Every project or task should have a single owner instead of being assigned to a generic team. Utilize your preferred tools to track individual accountability by including a dedicated “Owner” or “DRI” field. For instance, projects in Linear have a single lead field to keep ownership of the project clear.

2. Empower owners: Ownership should come with authority. DRIs need the power to make decisions, delegate tasks, and escalate issues when necessary. As a leader, it’s crucial to grant them the right level of autonomy and provide the resources they need to succeed in their ownership roles.

3. Define processes for ownership: Establish clear guidelines for assigning, tracking, and transferring ownership of tasks. For example, implement weekly team rotations with a clear “Triage Responder” to ensure that critical requests are addressed and followed up on appropriately. This approach will help build trust with stakeholders and clients while preventing Service Level Agreements (SLA) violations.

4. Foster a culture of responsibility: Acknowledge and celebrate those team members who exemplify extreme ownership within the organization. It’s essential to frame accountability as a responsibility and a valuable opportunity for personal and professional growth. Recognizing these behaviors reinforces positive actions and inspires others to embrace a similar attitude toward their responsibilities.

5. Break down shared tasks: Assign a primary DRI for cross-functional projects to coordinate efforts and ensure each contributor understands their role. For example, when managing an incident that involves multiple teams, the “Incident Lead” should assign all roles such as “Communications Lead,” “Documentation Lead,” etc. This approach ensures effective control and resolution of the incident.

Final Thoughts

Ownership without accountability is just an illusion, much like strategy without execution is hallucination.

Ownership is the cornerstone of accountability, and accountability is the engine of high-performing teams. Shared ownership, while well-intentioned, dilutes responsibility and often leads to inaction. Leaders can ensure clarity, drive results, and foster trust by implementing roles like Directly Responsible Individuals.

Think back to the car analogy: every car needs a single owner to ensure legal and practical accountability. In engineering, every project needs a “driver” to ensure it reaches its destination.

When everyone’s responsible, no one is. So, the next time you assign a task, don’t give it to “the team.” Give it a driver. Because ownership isn’t shared—it’s owned.

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I'm curious, how are you preventing the shared ownership trap? Please leave a comment.