The Ownership Choice: None, Some or Total Responsibility

The fact that you are reading this says that you, an influencing leader – business coach, salesperson, small business owner, entrepreneur, or leader - are most likely NOT in the category of ‘no ownership,’ meaning you don’t take any responsibility for the outcomes of your choices. That leaves two options: ‘Some responsibility’ or ‘total responsibility.’

Most of us have been conditioned to only take “some ownership” over our results. Notice that whenever a controversial political, economic or social issue crops up, people are quick to place blame. But remember, fault is a low intelligence concept.

In the 1950’s, Earl Nightingale said, “To be successful, we must look at what everybody else is doing and consider doing the opposite.” Observe those who blame others. Look at those who blame the economy. Look at people who blame their service, their circumstances, their family, their history, their shortcomings, the weather, Britney Spears and everything else they can think of, for poor results.

Consider doing the opposite. Consider joining the few who really do choose to take total ownership over their results. You will be given the prosperity that the many who only take “some ownership” will never find. Be willing to own ALL your results, good and bad. Great sales presenters sell by intentionally designing their messages and when they don’t succeed, they change objection and rejection into a great opportunity to redraft their message. They own the result.

Be willing to own ALL the results of your team, as a leader, good and bad. Effective leaders look across the hall when things go well and tell their team “you did it” and look inside when things go poorly and say “I did it.” They own the result, especially when things go poorly. Bottom line, as my good friend Hal Elrod (also a contributor to my book Cutting Edge Sales) taught me, to the degree that you take responsibility for everything in your life, you will be able to improve anything in your life.

Great leaders settle for nothing less than total responsibility.

Jon Berghoff