It’s like I stood there while everyone else quietly stepped backward.

One. Big. Step.

You would think that in the crushing silence after I ask that question, I would hear everyone stepping back.

I don’t.

That is often how I end up owning something.

Which is okay, because ownership doesn’t mean do all the work. It means making sure that someone is doing the work. Following up, asking questions, telling those who care about the thing where it currently is in the process of becoming a thing.

When I consciously step into that void and volunteer, I am absolutely saying yes. I’m saying yes to some amount of work. Which means I either say no to something else, or I have just added more work to myself.

The key is that when I say yes, I know what I’m saying yes to:

1.     I will learn something from owning this thing

2.     I will figure out where the process is broken

3.     I will design and implement a mechanism to fix that process if needed

4.     I will look for a long-term owner

5.     I am now conversational in another aspect of the business

That last part matters.

Taking ownership of something doesn't mean you own it forever. In fact, if I've done my job well, I absolutely will not.

I stepped into a gap. I learned enough to understand it. I figured out why something kept falling into the gap. I built the mechanism it needed. And then I found the person who should own it next.

That's ownership. Not adoption.

Has ownership defaulted to you—or are you struggling to get work to the right owner?
Leadership Mechanisms | Ownership helps you clarify who should own what and what needs to be true for ownership to work.

Need help deciding whether you should say yes in the first place?
Leadership Mechanisms | Capacity helps you make more intentional decisions about what belongs on your plate.