Owning a business today isn’t always easy. Taking ownership for its success isn’t necessarily the hard part. Taking ownership in one self when there is a problem is the challenge.
Ownership is ActionCoach’s second of the 14 points of culture, and perhaps the most important. Ownership means truly taking responsibility for the actions and outcomes in our work and personal life and completely owning that success, OR failure.
The first step to taking ownership is to recognize that if things are to change, we must first change. This includes holding our team accountable and allowing them to take full ownership in their job as well. Sometimes this includes making the tough choices and assembling a team that is committed to the mission and vision of the organization. If you feel at any time that there is a disconnect from a member of the team, then that person just might not be the right fit for the company.
Once we have created our “dream team” and everyone is on the same page and we are confident that they are committed to the vision and mission of our company. It’s our responsibility to ensure that expectations are clearly defined and that we are setting the example everyday of taking ownership in our own role as the leader.
Lastly, when we truly take ownership, we become accountable and accept total responsibility for everything that happens in the organization. There is no blaming others for problems. We don’t make excuses and we don’t live in denial.
When you take ownership not only of your own role, but of the entire organization, your team will respect you more and will dedicate themselves to achieving the overall vision of the company.