The Leadership Principle of Taking Ownership
I recently read a story about a lady who went to a jewelry store to buy a watch. She had previously been to the store by herself and identified a watch she wanted. When she returned to the store a few days later with her husband, her plan was to purchase the watch she had found. Not realizing the store closed at 5 p.m., the couple arrived a few minutes before 5. Since she knew what she wanted, she told the lady in the store, “I’m here to buy a watch.” The sales clerk in the store said, “I’m so sorry, I have already closed out the cash register since we’re about to close. I can’t sell you anything right now.” Needless to say, the customer was disappointed and told the sales clerk they would have to figure out another time to come back. The couple left the jewelry store with no watch. As they got back into their car, the lady told her husband, “It’s obvious she wasn’t the owner.”
The owner of the store would have accommodated the customer regardless of what time it was or the inconvenience it might have caused. The owner of a jewelry store is in business to do one thing – sell jewelry!
What does it mean to take ownership? Below are four ways to take ownership to new levels and inspire others to do the same.
- Have a Spirit of Excellence.
What would it look like if everyone in our workplace, family or community carried a spirit of excellence in everything they did by taking ownership of their roles and responsibilities? Employees would come prepared for meetings and show up on time. Kids would clean up their rooms without having to be told, and students would turn in their assignments without making excuses. Having a spirit of excellence propels us to exceed expectations because we take ownership of our responsibilities and what is expected of us.
- Go the Extra Mile.
What would have happened if the sales clerk I mentioned earlier would have “gone the extra mile” to accommodate the customer who came into the jewelry store to buy a watch? Rather than being personally inconvenienced by having to stay a few extra minutes past store closing, she could have had the mindset of an owner and gone the extra mile to make sure the sale was made and the customer was satisfied. Imagine what kind of customer rating and 5-star review the store and employee could have received had the employee gone the extra mile by taking ownership.
- See It Through.
John Maxwell, best-selling author and leadership expert, says, “Leadership is taking responsibility while others make excuses.” It’s easy to point the finger, to find fault, or to cast blame when things don’t work out or the ball is dropped. Taking ownership not only means you finish what you start, but if the ball is dropped, you take full responsibility for your mistakes. If you do not take ownership of your actions, your actions will eventually own you.
- Check Pride at the Door.
What does pride have to do with ownership? Taking ownership is an attitude. An ownership mindset doesn’t say “that’s not in my job description” or “that’s not my responsibility.” No job or task is beneath a person who takes ownership. They understand that it takes teamwork to make the dream work.
Rodney Gage is an author, speaker and the founding pastor of ReThink Life Church. His passion is to help people live life on purpose. To learn more, check out rethinklife.com.
