Sep 19

Sep 19 Ownership

Lots of work is done in projects to determine things like who is accountable or responsible for various items. This is a great necessary step, but I find many times we stop there. We write down our RACI, all agree on it and then move on. Agreeing on these things is important, but it doesn’t necessarily translate to anyone feeling ownership of the project (or pieces of it).

Ownership extends beyond taking on some work. It extends deeper, into feeling that you truly own it. It’s yours, and how you handle it is a direct representation of yourself. Frequently this feeling of ownership is lacking in projects, which leads to some less than desirable outcomes:

Lack of “push” - When someone doesn’t feel ownership of a particular item, they won’t push to complete it the same was as if they do feel ownership. They won’t go that extra mile, as that extra question, or do that extra test to really make it work.
General lack of interest - If someone doesn’t feel like they own a task or item, they won’t be as interested in it. This shows up as individuals not being as curious about their work and not understanding it as well as if they did feel ownership.

The good news is that ownership is something that can be cultivated. Some individuals will have more or less levels of it, but it can always be improved. There’s a few things that can help an individual build a sense of ownership, including:

Demonstrating ownership - It can be hard to feel ownership if you don’t see others practicing it. In order to help others build their sense of ownership, YOU have to actively demonstrate it. Showing your interest in the topic, constantly knowing what’s going on with it and generally moving it forward will help others cultivate their sense of ownership.
Getting to the core - Individuals may have some reason they don’t demonstrate ownership, one they may not even be fully aware of. Having a direct conversation with them about ownership, and why they aren’t demonstrating it, can help them flip the script.
Staying on them - A more intense/extreme tactic is to constantly ask them how their task is doing. Do they know the status? Why it’s important? Who’s impacted? Consistently pushing them for info and being present will force them to internalize a sense of ownership, if only to be ready for you.