Ownership matters to the success of an endeavor. A business, nonprofit, team, family, or just about any effort needs people who act like owners. My book Salvaged touched on this in the chapter about scaling (hint: don’t be suckered into scaling). There is a unique power of an owner compared to, say, an investor.
Hopefully, we can all agree that ownership matters.
And perhaps never more so than now, after we shut down the economy and are now starting the effort to reopen.
Right now, ownership really matters.
You have probably heard the maxim, “Leadership casts a long shadow.” Indeed it does. Anyone who has worked under wise and responsible leadership knows how it can permeate an organization with healthy values. Alternatively, anyone who has worked under irresponsible leadership knows how corrupting it can become.
So yes, leadership casts a long shadow. But ownership might cast an even longer one. Especially for small businesses.
My office is in a retail center filled with small businesses, almost all of which are owner operated.
Small business owners are among the most dedicated and hard working people I know. When I visit my office on a weekend, a holiday, or late hours, invariably I run into neighboring business owners who are putting in the extra time needed for their business to thrive. Obviously dedicated employees often do the same, but at the end of the day it is usually the owner who is locking up. And then returning first thing in the morning to open up.
Right now, that’s what our nation needs. Indeed, that’s what our world needs. It is the energy and passion of the owners who are going to get the economy back on track.
Of course, some people act like owners even when they are not. Most large companies’ CEO’s are incredibly dedicated, as are their teams. Some small companies are blessed with key people who put everything they have into a business.
The same is true for nonprofit leaders, even though it’s really difficult to grasp who “owns” a nonprofit effort. There are some people so dedicated to the cause that they go over and above all expectations.
Or think about our personal lives. Successful people take ownership of their actions in relationships, including their mistakes, striving to both reconcile and improve. This is true as a spouse, parent, friend, and neighbor.
Perhaps most importantly, ownership matters in the love and respect we show others. If we own the responsibility to care for others, everything else — our business endeavors, our neighborhood, our internal moral compass — will thrive.
Ownership matters. It’s something to keep in mind the next time you consider where to invest your time, treasure, and talent. And it is something to be thankful for as we turn the corner on Covid-19.