Are you an OWNER or a RENTER?

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!  

CLICK HERE TO OWN IT!