I realize everyone will find this hard to believe, but there was a time, many years ago that Todd was a little, OK, probably a lot, frustrated with me about a project I didn't see all the way to the end. After telling me multiple times..."I'm really not mad at you" he told me a story to help me understand something.
We had gotten a hot rush that needed to be embroidered and shipped the next day from Winona. The order was turned into production. The production manager said, "I've got this, no problem." He made sure the order was faxed to Winona. He made sure the tapes were sent to Winona. He also personally saw the caps get put on the van that was to carry the caps to Winona, in fact he shut the doors on the van. The next day, when the caps were unable to be produced, the production manager said, "I made sure all the stuff was sent to Winona for this order, it's not my fault." The problem was that the caps were still sitting in the van outside the dock door without a driver, the production manager didn't take total ownership because he didn't see that a van driver was set up to transport the caps to Winona. To take total ownership, you have to see the project through to the end, no excuses, no blaming others. I still have the hot wheel van I bought after that story to help me remember, "If I am going to take total ownership, I need a van driver."
What is it that you are not taking total ownership in? Do you find yourself making excuses or blaming others?
Do you take total ownership in projects given to you by your boss? Don't you want people that report to you to take total ownership in the projects you delegate to them?
Do you take total ownership in your attitude? Do you have the attitude you expect from others?
Does the buck stop with you? Harry S. Truman had a sign on his desk showing he was taking total ownership.
Do you take ownership in being a Paramount team player? Can you imagine how much easier our jobs would be if all others would take on ownership and responsibility as well as you do it?
If you think circumstances were just not in your favor this time...take ownership in making the circumstances you want.
Taking ownership, showing complete responsibility, making sure the buck stops with you is not easy. In fact, it is much easier to blame others or let someone else deal with the challenges. Nobody says this will be easy. What I can tell you about taking ownership is that all truly successful leaders do a great job at owning, not blaming.
No different than all the other "Thursday Think Tank" articles, it is designed to make you think. If this stuff doesn't apply to you, feel free to pass it along to the people you think need to hear it.
Have a great Thursday,
Chris
** to see all Thursday Think Tank articles in one place, go to paithursdaythinktank.blogspot.
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