Ownership Requires Initiative and Integrity, not Control

Ownership has been a central theme of my blog and leadership sessions since the beginning. Recent interactions during coaching, team development sessions, and in my personal life has me thinking more about the importance and the power of ownership.
 
For me, there are 2 key parts to ownership. I’m not sure if you would them components, outcomes, traits or qualities, but I see these 2 things:

1. Show Initiative
2. Show Integrity

 
Show Initiative
When you show initiative to step-up and take ownership of a situation, you are displaying critical traits of leadership. One of my all-time favorite books is Liz Wiseman’s, Impact Players. Liz writes that while High Contributors are important because they do their job, it is the Impact Players that drive the value because they do the job that needs to be done.
 
People who treat an organization as if it is their own and care for others as if they are family, show an awareness and commitment that is typically only shown by those who own a company and reap the greatest rewards. But Impact Players are selfless leaders, thinking of the impact they can make on the whole versus themselves. 
 
I focus on ownership heavily in my 3rd Pillar of Impact, Empowering Others. I have raised the significance of ownership in this section to aid those who are not formal leaders to understand the intent of empowering is for others to take ownership and not to wait to be told what to do.
 
Ownership vs Control
There is a fine line between taking ownership and taking control in regard to action, but there is a huge chasm in regard to the impact it has on the team.
 
It might be better to change the phrases to be “showing ownership” and “taking control.” It comes down to taking a servant leadership approach versus being an autocratic leader.
 
Treating a situation as if you are the owner helps you with the recognition that something needs to be addressed and the willingness to take the steps to rally the team to push forward.
 
Choose to take ownership and be the leader your team deserves. Be the person who steps forward so that others will follow.
 
Taking control can be viewed as when the passenger in the car grabs the steering wheel. The action may be required in an emergency, but they shouldn’t keep driving for the entire journey.
 
It’s how you take initiative and the purpose of taking initiative. It’s recognizing something needs to be done and it might as well be you. Versus only I can do this, and I will tell you what to do. Leading vs mandating. Aligning vs controlling.
 
Show Integrity
This is more about how you respond to a situation. Will you step up and own your actions, your choices, and your results?
 
If you show initiative to move forward and the results are not as you desired, will you take ownership of your actions or will you blame others? Will you be transparent and learn from your mistake or will you justify it because “something had to be done and nobody else was doing anything.”
 
Qualities of leaders who can be transparent and not only show vulnerability but foster a culture where it is celebrated and supported, is where integrity can be found. A culture of trust because there is no fear of retribution for showing initiative.
 
We treat the failing as opportunities to grow and develop. Lessons learned that will help us Be Better Today than yesterday.
 
Those people who have the courage and conviction to own their situation, seem to stand a little taller, to garner a little more respect, and have a little more impact.
 
Show Ownership
So, I challenge you to show ownership when it is needed. Not an invader or aggressor, but the servant leader that helps shepherd people forward, creating momentum, to move the team towards their vision.
 
Step up and be bold, acknowledge your shortcomings and demonstrate your desire to grow from the lessons that life brings to all of us.
 
Take ownership of your growth by controlling what you can about your own actions and impact others in a positive way. Showing ownership is the impact that is needed, Beyond Today.

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