How to Build Ownership

Sep 12

I recently traveled to Montreal with my family and we had dinner at a great bistro called Vallier. As the server handed us the check and said goodbye at the end of our meal, she asked how much longer we were staying. Upon finding out that this was our last night in town, she said, "Oh! Well thank you for choosing our city."

Wow! I thought. She said “our city.” She is representing herself as a steward of this city. She wasn't getting paid to say that. It came through authentically and spontaneously, as how she truly felt. She felt ownership (and thus pride) for being a member of the Montreal community.

As a leader, this is what you're trying to cultivate in your team members. We call it ownership. It's that sense that something is ours. Our server truly felt that this is her city. She felt it enough that she had the agency to represent Montreal and offer us gratitude for coming.

How does this story relate to you building ownership among your team members? Here are some important notes to pull from this example of ownership:

Her ownership had nothing to do with money
She felt that she belonged in the community
This ownership came from a sense of pride and care
She was able to use this ownership to be an effective representative with zero guidance from the city's authorities

So how can you as the leader build this ownership among your team members? Here are five ways to cultivate ownership in your team. Use this list to also take a look in the mirror and see if your own sense of ownership could be cultivated more deeply.

Tell them why they should care (best by sharing why you care). As the leader, you have a different perspective, usually one more connected to the bigger picture. Sharing context (more on that here) that connects the current project or task to a bigger picture can help someone understand how to step up and take ownership.
Let them have a voice so that they can contribute as leaders too (more about empowering here). It can feel threatening to ask for feedback and input from those reporting to you. But including their input is very important in building trust and making the work product better.
Tell them point blank "I want you to own this." Some need to be told directly: this is yours, go build it. Unleash the care, commitment, and creativity that will come from true ownership.
Praise them when they do step up. If your people go out on a limb and do above-and-beyond thinking, praise the effort. Acknowledge their effort and ownership even if you don't agree with the work product. Read a story here illustrating my thoughts on how to handle (or not handle!) when someone goes the extra mile.
Cultivate shared ownership. This is a mindset that is the antidote to worrying about "stepping on toes." Two or more colleagues can both own a work product, both fully own it, and be each other's backstops.