When you think of people who act like they own the place, you might imagine overly self-important people, the ones who think they’re better than everyone else. But in the business world, there’s another way of looking at this phrase: act like your own the place means to truly care about your company. After all, there are plenty of people who just want to punch-in and punch-out, and have no care for what’s beyond their prescribed duties. But the truly dedicated people want to see the company do its best work possible, to succeed and grow as if they owned it themselves, as if it’s a personal investment.
Seriously, imagine working in a business filled with employees who have the same passion, dedication, and sense of ownership as the actual owner. Consider the level of innovation, efficiency, and collective success that would emerge, especially if that dedication is directed towards delivering on the one product that every company, no matter the industry, sells: the customer experience.
Motivation
Quality will skyrocket when you really care about the outcomes of your work. Indeed, when you take pride in your contributions, you will relish the idea that your work ethic is your calling card. Rather than completing tasks to fulfill your baseline obligations, your output will be seen as a reflection of your own capabilities and thoughtfulness—especially by your customers. You will push yourself to go above and beyond the ordinary expectations of your role when you refuse to settle. You will actively seek ways to innovate and improve, knowing full well that excellence is the end result of hard work. And customers will notice, too, as your efforts will give rise to much higher satisfaction and repeat business.
Accountability
An ownership mentality has the added benefit of instilling a sense of accountability to your coworkers. Is that a good thing? You bet! You’re all members of the same team, working towards the game goal of collective success. Together, you’ll look at challenges not as obstacles but as opportunities for growth. In fact, you’ll proactively identify and address issues as they arise instead of waiting for them to manifest into bigger problems. These efforts will alleviate the stresses placed on management and serve to cultivate a customer-first culture focused on meeting challenges head-on. That’s how you earn your customers’ respect.
Collaborative Culture
In a work environment where employees embrace the concept of collective success, a powerful sense of unity emerges that goes beyond even simple accountability. Instead of falling into the traps of apathy or personal agendas, everyone realizes that the ultimate agenda is to deliver an exceptional customer experience, and that your efforts are interconnected, contributing to the success of all. The outcomes will exceed the sum of each person’s individual effort to create something special: a truly seamless and outstanding experience that sets your company apart from your competitors. And that’s how you secure long-term customer loyalty.
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When everyone acts like they own the place, everyone can work towards the common goal of meeting and exceeding customer expectations; this is paramount to the business’s success, and to the company’s reputation overall.
Thinking about how you might take the initiative? Unafraid of accountability? Looking to find new ways to collaborate? Then you should consider referring your managers to a customer-experience consultancy like The Brandt Group. Our organization has offered leadership training seminars, mystery-shopping services, and more for over 30 years, and we can help your company invest in its long-term success and growth. Let our services be the foundation for your training and reward programs—upon which you will build a company culture that bears your signature touch.
Why not you? Why shouldn’t you act like your own the place? If you really care about doing good work, about taking ownership of your professional life, the time to act is now.
