What it Means to Have an Ownership Mindset at Work

An Ownership Mindset at Work
Think about how much more invested you would be in your job if you had an ownership mindset at work.  You’d not just be putting in time for pay; instead, you would be fully engaged, empowered, and intrinsically motivated to reach goals and build a thriving enterprise for now and for the future.  Our organizational culture assessment data tells us that employees who truly think and act like an owners:

• Have high levels of strategic clarity and buy-in about what matters most
• Feel encouraged, supported, and rewarded to push past their comfort zones to lift performance
• Exhibit the confidence and competence to get their work done with and through others

Think about how much more successful your organization would be if an ownership mindset was replicated throughout the workforce – from the C-suite to the frontline.

Three Characteristics of Having an Ownership Mindset at Work
To build a powerful workplace culture of employee ownership, focus on three characteristics of employees who think and behave like owners:

1. A Culture of Accountability
   Business owners feel fully responsible for how the business is doing (results) and what it’s like to work there (behaviors).  They don’t promise what they can’t deliver. Commitments matter to them, and they work tirelessly to honor their agreements.
   
   Employees with an ownership mindset are fully invested in the outcomes of their tasks, not just checking the box by “completing” their assigned tasks. That calls for higher levels of collaboration, innovation, decision-making, problem solving, learning from mistakes, and communication.
   
   Is your organizational culture accountable enough?
   
2. A Big Picture Perspective
   An ownership mindset is as much about what to do, as what not to do.  The best leaders are big-picture thinkers who understand the value of strategy and are capable of crafting solutions that address short-range, mid-range, and long-range problems. They develop an inspiring connection to the big picture for their stakeholders, look around the corners, thoughtfully allocate resources, and adapt when appropriate.
   
   Rather than simply working on day-to-day projects, those with an ownership mindset have a clear line of sight about how their contribution impacts the success of the enterprise. They step back to consider how projects, teams, and functions interrelate to ensure organizational alignment and commitment.
   
   Can your employees take a big picture view?
   
3. A Meaningful Company Mission
   Employees who think and act like owners are highly engaged by the work they do.  Because their hearts and minds deeply resonate with the company’s direction and purpose, they always strive to do their best work.  Their members work together to create something special and are excited to do so because they are committed to their individual and collective success.
   
   Because they care, they set ambitious plans to grow the business and create urgency to accomplish desired results.  They are always on the lookout for ways to do it better, faster, and cheaper for their co-workers and customers. 
   
   Is your company mission helping to create an ownership mindset?

The Bottom Line
Can there realistically be an organization filled with both leaders and team members who think and behave like owners? Yes. It won’t happen overnight. But start now to engage your workers so they agree and commit to the purpose of the organization, understand that their contribution matters, and feel involved in the plans for the future. The more who adopt this mindset, the more meaningful, enjoyable, and rewarding their work.

To learn more about how to help people to think and act like owners, download The 3 Levels of Culture Required to Create Higher Performance Mindsets