There’s a theory that your willingness to return a shopping cart is the ultimate test of personal accountability. No law requires it. There’s no immediate reward for doing it, no penalty for skipping it. It’s a choice – one that reflects whether you do what’s right simply because it’s right.
In agility, leadership, and transformation, this principle scales beyond the parking lot.
The Agility of Small Actions
Agile organizations thrive on autonomy and trust. We tell teams, “You own your work. You own your process. You own your impact.” But what happens when no one is watching? Are teams accountable for their work even when leadership isn’t standing over their shoulders?
The best agile teams and leaders don’t need policing to do the right thing. They self-organize, adapt, and follow through because they see the bigger picture. Just like returning a shopping cart, small, disciplined actions compound into cultural norms.
Self-Governance in Agile Teams
An agile transformation isn’t successful because a framework is implemented or a new tool is adopted. It succeeds because people embrace accountability. They:
- Communicate risks before they become issues.
- Follow through on commitments, even when inconvenient.
- Offer help without waiting to be asked.
- Address problems directly rather than blaming process gaps.
Agility fails when teams wait for rules to dictate behavior rather than taking ownership. Much like an abandoned shopping cart, ignored responsibility leads to organizational clutter.
The Leadership Test: What Do You Do When No One is Watching?
A leader’s true influence isn’t measured in meetings but in the behaviors they normalize. Do you cut corners when it’s easy? Do you step up when it’s inconvenient? Do you model the habits you want to see in your teams?
Great leaders return the shopping cart. Not because they have to, but because it’s who they are.
Closing the Loop
In agility, as in life, small moments define culture. The next time you see a shopping cart left astray, ask yourself – what does this say about how we approach responsibility? If we care about agility, accountability, and ownership, maybe it starts with putting the cart back where it belongs.
