That’s
the provocative question that each of us must answer as, together, we roll up
our sleeves and take on one of the toughest yet potentially most influential
issues in our workplace today – Accountability.
Before
I answer the question, let’s use the analogy of home ownership to tee up the
conversation with a slightly altered version of that question. Does someone who owns their home think about
it talk about it and behave toward it differently than those who are renting
the property? My answer is YES!
Here
are some of the sentiments that owners might have:
µ “I’m proud of my
property. After all, it’s a reflection of me.”
µ “I’m in this for the
long haul.”
µ “If something needs
fixing, It’s on me to get that done.”
And
here are some of the ways that most renters think;
µ “I’m not going to
live here for too long so I’m not going to improve things too much. After all,
wat would I get out of it?”
µ “If something goes
wrong, I’m not responsible. It’s the owner’s problem to solve.”
It’s
not too hard to see where I’m going with this, is it? Team members who ‘phone
it in’ each day, hold onto ‘same old same old thoughts and actions, make
excuses and blame others are renters. A team member showing up as the best
version of themselves each day, ready to be better and different, offering suggestions
for improvement and understanding how their seemingly modest contribution adds to
the success of the whole organization; well, that person is an owner!
Think
about it…ownership isn’t a passive experience; it’s an active, intentional one!
Owners participate instead of spectate. Each of us can ‘take ownership’ no
matter what our position in the organization. And not only on our ‘good days’ –
but moment by moment each day, regardless of the circumstances, the people
involved, our mood or the weather.
At its
core, an accountability-rich culture is full of owners rather than renters!
Accountability-rich organizations are defined by the
willingness & ability of almost everyone to …
own their
thoughts & emotions
own their
reactions
own their
behaviors
own their words
own their
attitude & mindset
own their
professional growth
own their
mistakes/problems/solutions
In other words,
they own the moment!
So, back to our original question: Are you an owner or a
renter? I’ve chosen to be an owner. How about you?
Kick-start your journey to accountability - grab a copy of Leta's latest book, Own It, and it's accompanying Accountability Credo poster on Leta's website!