Ownership
The leader you are–or will be–is a choice. Your choice!

How comfortable are you with being uncomfortable? 

So much of our day-to-day life as leaders doesn’t involve (consciously) making choices about how to be a great leader. We start each day in our natural, normal state, doing what’s comfortable and typical. We lean on our past experiences and successes, trying to repeat what worked before and avoid what didn’t. We don’t put pressure on ourselves or spend much time to get better at being a leader, or to push beyond our comfort zone.

 

Growth through reaction is fine

We get in the habit of reacting to things that are uncomfortable or atypical as they happen. When crisis and deadline-driven situations come up, then we shift into overdrive. This is something we HAVE to address, so we become highly accountable for leading people and projects through it.

As we’ve talked about before, accountability is a big part of “owning” leadership. We’re challenged by the uncomfortable crisis, and that can often result in growth as a leader.

 

Growth through action is transformational

But true ownership, the transformational kind, requires you to get uncomfortable on purpose. You need to step outside your comfort zone and make a conscious choice about how you allocate your time every day and every week in order to create different results. And to be accountable to the nth degree to make something happen, no matter what.

These are actions that aren’t crisis-oriented or part of your normal routine. You have to decide how much you really care about the goal or outcome or whatever the “thing” is you want to accomplish. How much are you willing to sacrifice to ensure you achieve the results? How will this sacrifice impact you personally? How will it impact your priorities?

 

Achieving leadership excellence requires turning the pyramid upside down

Ownership

 

You need to spend your time/focus/energy on those things that will be a difference-maker and create the highest level of impact. Your commitment level is different at each of these stages, and that’s OK…it’s your choice where and how you spend your time. It’s your decision about what will have the greatest impact to move the needle for your area of the business.

There may be multiple priorities, so it’s a matter of assigning the right level of urgency and being willing to make sacrifices in order to make something happen. If you want it…no, need it…you make the choice to own it!

It’s your choice!

  • What are some things you need to happen for yourself and your business?
  • What choices will you make—comfortable or not—to own them?

 

P.S. We help leaders develop these high-impact leadership capabilities. See how.

How can we help your leaders and business excel?