Imagine creating a culture of ownership throughout your organization.
Even the most stoic executives feel their mouths water when they think about the potential performance this statement implies. Yet studies show that 50%, and by some estimates 80% of organizational initiatives fail to successfully create cultures of ownership.
Most efforts to create an ownership culture fail because they do not start at the cultural source of the business.
This is the executive leadership team.
At your next leadership team meeting ask, “Who owns this team?”
Pay attention, observe what people say, how they say it, and reflect on how long it takes to say it.
If that does not give you enough to work with, follow up and ask the team to identify how each of them demonstrate they are owners of the senior leadership team, and in what ways they are not showing ownership.
A culture of ownership doesn’t start somewhere in the organization. It starts at the top, specifically in the senior leadership team.
There are many reasons to create an ownership culture in your organization. There is no reason to start this anywhere except in the executive team.
Illustration by John S. Dykes @ Theispot