There are plenty of benefits to renting your home.
When the air conditioning breaks, or the pipes are leaking, the owner is responsible for fixing it. The owner is also responsible for maintaining the property, which includes repainting the fence and outside of the house, replacing old carpets and flooring, keeping the roof in good repair – and so many other potential headaches.
The real question is, why would anyone want to own their home?
You probably know the answer to that question already. It puts you in the driver’s seat. You are empowered to decide what color to paint the house, what appliances you’ll have, how quickly a repair gets done, and the quality of the work. You can even knock a wall down to open up a larger space, add a skylight, or finish the basement. At the same time, you are building equity in your home; everything you invest in your home adds value.
Have you ever considered whether you rent or own your job? What about the people you manage… are they job-renters or job-owners?
Here is a quick quiz to help you answer that question.
You (or the people you manage) …
|
Yes / No |
1. Complete the tasks associated with your role |
|
Yes / No |
2. Let the manager know when there is an obstacle to completing a task |
|
Yes / No |
3. Problem-solve, both independently and collaboratively, to overcome obstacles |
|
Yes / No |
4. Continuously develop skills and knowledge to enhance your performance |
If you answered yes to questions #1 and 2 only, then you are probably renting your job. That may be the right move for you, but think about whether it’s time to empower yourself and own it.
If you answered yes to all 4 questions, you own your job. You are empowered to overcome obstacles and achieve results. In the process, you increase your own value and expand your career opportunities.
Does your team need to work on its ownership mindset?
Accountability requires an ownership mindset. Remember,accountability is not about blame, it’s about empowerment.
Empower your team to take ownership with the following 3 tips:
Treat failures as learning opportunities that enable your team members to do better next time. What will they do differently? (BRODY’s previous blog covers the importance of psychological safety in a Culture of Accountability.)
Encourage your team to problem-solve collaboratively with you and with each other. That means not always coming up with the solution yourself!
Provide stretch opportunities that push your team members to grow. Make sure they understand the benefits and consequences of both success and failure.
Owning your job is an investment that will enhance success for you, your team and your organization.
For more support in building “job ownership” take a look at BRODY’s interactive Create a Culture of Accountability workshop. You can download a full outline of the workshop here.