When people join a team, they join a group that decides to work together to reach a common objective. One of the reasons to work together in a team is, that a team can achieve more than an individual. For an individual being in a team is also there to have the support of the group in achieving one’s goals.

To be able to make this happen, there are at least some basic rules in a team. They can be linked to achieving the goal as well as to establish a way to deal with one another. The group then can become a place to feel safe as well as one to stretch.

That’s how a group establishes freedom.

Freedom isn’t about being allowed to do everything and to be unencumbered. Freedom is about being able to achieve what we’ve set out to do.

The logical consequence is, that freedom comes with accountability. It’s the willingness to be responsible for the work one does and for one’s contributions to the work the team does.

Wherever there is no responsibility, there is no commitment to the group. That’s when freedom the group provides becomes inaccessible.