Pilot case 01

Implicit Responsibility and Role Overload

Context

An experienced leader operating in a complex organizational environment, where responsibilities had expanded over time without being fully re-articulated. Expectations continued to increase, while clarity around roles, decision boundaries, and ownership remained implicit.

Fog signals observed

• Blurred responsibilities and decision boundaries

• Persistent pressure carried at an individual level

• Repeated attempts to compensate for missing clarity

• Difficulty stepping back despite strong commitment

• Limited shared visibility on what belonged to the role versus the system

What we explored

Through a Clarity Scan, we created a structured space to surface how responsibilities, expectations, and pressure were distributed across the system. The conversation focused on where accountability had gradually shifted from collective structures to individual roles.

What emerged

The core issue was not competence or engagement. It was the accumulation of implicit expectations and unarticulated responsibility. Once these dynamics were made visible, the situation could be reframed more accurately and discussed collectively.

What became possible

• Clearer role boundaries and decision ownership

• Reduced reliance on individual compensation

• A more sustainable way of engaging with responsibility

• Improved ability to prioritize and step back when needed