Taking Ownership
Achieving Project Success: Empowering Results Through Ownership
If you never take ownership of anything, you will never truly succeed at anything.
Dan Greer
I recently played a pivotal role in assisting a company to regain compliance with regulatory standards.
Taking on the responsibility wasn’t a simple feat, especially while journeying through the winter landscapes of the western United States.
I gained valuable insights and knowledge through the experience.
At the core of true project success lies the crucial step of someone wholeheartedly taking ownership and steering it toward fruition.
Upon arriving at their administrative office, it became evident to me that, in the past, no one had assumed responsibility for the DOT program.
Similar to many organizations, the responsibility for it was passed from one individual to another, resulting in repeated setbacks. This pattern persisted until their compliance level plummeted to less than 10%.
I took the initiative to assist them in recovering, and the results were remarkable. Within the initial two weeks, we saw a significant leap to over 40%, and by the end of the third week, we had surpassed the 50% mark. As I pen down these words, the compliance level now stands proudly at over 90%.
Ever wondered about the unique steps I took that set my approach apart from theirs?
I assumed responsibility for the program, actively reaching out to as many drivers as possible. I dedicated myself to understanding their concerns and promptly addressing and resolving any issues that arose.
Others hesitated due to the challenging circumstances, expressing sentiments like, “This is currently quite chaotic. Once things settle down, my team can handle it.”
What an unusual perspective! Who expresses themselves in such a way?
Such sentiments typically come from someone who may be hesitant to take the initiative and address the issue. It’s a perspective that may hinder their potential for genuine success in any project.
Would you like to learn about something genuinely disheartening?
One of their team members had this project, but they handed it over to someone else because they couldn’t find the time.
If you have this mindset, you might not be taking ownership. Let’s discuss why taking ownership is important.
When we take ownership, we ensure its success.
There’s no “Well, we tried our best” or “It’s not my fault a third of the company didn’t meet up when we were visiting every location” excuse.
When someone truly takes charge of a project, there’s absolutely nothing that can prevent it from happening.
That’s why it’s crucial to take ownership of what you’re doing.
Imagine starting a new project but being only half-committed. What do you think will happen?
It has roughly a 25% chance of successfully navigating the initial stages of taking off.
Imagine committing 125%—what positive outcomes do you think might unfold?
When you give it your all, there’s no chance the process won’t succeed; you’re putting everything into it.
When challenges arise, you tackle them head-on, finding solutions and overcoming obstacles along the way.
If you don’t take ownership, what happens when an obstacle arises?
Indeed, you may become disheartened and choose to give up.
When I learned that 100 drivers didn’t meet with us during our travels, I had two choices.
Option 1 involved pointing fingers at the managers and those responsible for organizing the meetings. What do you think would have been achieved with this approach?
Absolutely nothing! That’s correct; it would have only led to placing blame without any positive outcome.
Option 2 involved seeking a solution to the problem and figuring out how to encourage those who didn’t show up to participate and comply.
I opted for choice 2. It wasn’t a simple task, but it felt like the only genuine solution. I navigated the system, identified what was needed for full compliance, and personally reached out to each driver.
Taking full ownership of the project enabled us to overcome obstacles as they arose.
Today, I’d like to take a moment to inspire everyone to embrace full ownership of everything they do.
It doesn’t matter if it’s scrubbing toilets or loading a rocket with fuel—take ownership with pride.
Convince yourself that it will be completed because you’re committed to ensuring it happens.
Now, go out there and take pride in what you do!
Explore more on leadership and personal growth. Don’t miss our article on ‘Being a Leader When You’re Not in Charge.’ Stay tuned for more practical insights and advice at RealDanGreer.com.
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