Are you an owner or a renter?
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Are you an owner or a renter of your career?
I first encountered “owner versus renter” when reading Quint Studer’s Hardwiring Excellence. Let’s say you rented a car for a business trip. How do you treat it? Do you take the car to the car wash before bringing it to the rental facility?
What about the way you treat an apartment versus a home with a mortgage?
The point is we are more likely to take better care about something when we “own” it.
When you think about this in regards to your job, it’s also a way to gauge your happiness and engagement. If you feel like a renter at work, maybe it’s not a good fit or some things need to change . If you feel like an owner, you’re most likely an engaged, high performing employee. This is a two-way street. It takes effort on the part of the employee and the employer to make “ownership” a reality.
If you’re an employer, there are 5 must-haves Quint says are necessary in creating a culture of ownership (edited from a healthcare perspective):
- “Practice the fine art of managing up. ‘Managing up’ means positioning people well. It means constantly looking for ways to accentuate the positive and build good will. Also, it’s a practical tool for reinforcing specific behaviors.
- Round on your employees, especially front-line workers every single day. It’s called “rounding,” and it’s a technique Studer swears by. For an hour a day, touch base with your employees in their everyday environment. Walk up to them and ask very specific questions: Is there anything we can do better? Do you have the tools and equipment you need to do the job? Then, do everything in your power to give them what they need.
- Deal with your low performers and understand the impact they have on your team. Don’t be afraid to let disruptive people go. If you don’t, these low performers will affect your high performers, causing them to 1) leave the organization, 2) channel their positive energies into outside interests, or 3) pace themselves and slow down.
- Send thank-you notes to employees when they do a great job. Nothing garners as much genuine appreciation and sense of pride as a personal acknowledgment of a job well done. You might also encourage other leaders to regularly e-mail you about nurses who deserve a compliment. Ask them to include details so that you can write a descriptive message thanking the nurse for his or her contribution. Make sure the note is handwritten and mailed home—typed letters or e-mails won’t cut it!
- Understand the connection between employee satisfaction and the bottom line. Remember, satisfied employees are always better performers. When employees feel appreciated and recognized by their leaders, they seek out opportunities to do good things for the company and its customers. They think like owners, not renters.”
What’s your advice on how to become an owner?
28 Comments on this post
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Kris said:
I am an employer now but was once an employee and from both perspectives, appreciate your owner v renter concept.
In the past year I released two employees that were renters. They had no idea they were bringing our agency down (financially and psychologically) because they were so focused on their own agendas and egos. It’s not always easy for the one doing the hiring to know if you are an owner or a renter. If you’re an owner, I encourage you to broach this subject during the interview process.
My definition of “managing up” is quite different than yours (see http://davidmaister.com/blog/311/Managing-Up) and I point this out because my definition and past use of the concept exemplifies another way to demonstrate you have the mentality of and capacity to one day become an owner.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:17 am -
facebook video said:
thanx for post
January 1st, 2010 at 7:14 am -
avril lavigne said:
Thanks to everyone for sharing.
January 1st, 2010 at 7:45 am -
malatya haber said:
thanx for post
January 1st, 2010 at 8:17 am -
youtube gir said:
thank you for entery
January 1st, 2010 at 8:43 am -
Cartoon Bears said:
How many days does an owner need to give a renter to move out in Arizona?
January 1st, 2010 at 8:48 am -
Net Age Web Design said:
Managing people is a very important skill, and the ownership tips you shared here will really go a long way towards cementing a formidable team spirit in your organisation. You have to be hands on and approachable, and strive to build morale and cohesion in your group at all times.
January 2nd, 2010 at 4:03 am -
used tires said:
Wow this one took me a while to think about and fully understand it. What I would addon to it is to treat everyone equal and the same, don’t treat one specific person differently from another, in the end it will be very powerful to you if you treat everyone the same.
Till then,
Jean
January 4th, 2010 at 5:51 am -
Aluminum Laptop Cases said:
Very interesting analogy about renting vs owning a career. I have felt like I was just temporarily at a job before. When you don’t feel like you’re there long term, you often don’t put forth the same kind of effort.
January 4th, 2010 at 3:40 pm -
Aluminum Laptop Cases said:
Your list of tips for employers is also very helpful. I definitely agree with these tips, especially the one about dealing with low performers. When I have to work around a lot of low performers, it lowers my motivation and makes me bitter about putting in more effort than them.
January 4th, 2010 at 3:41 pm -
Cartoon Bears said:
Renting directly from the Owner can be tricky as they sometime do not know the laws. Best bet is to find a condo or home through a property management company rather than a direct owner. Owners hire PM companies to take care of all the legal stuff.
January 5th, 2010 at 10:16 am -
Cartoon Bears said:
Can a renter put cameras throughout the apartment when renting a room to a tenant?
January 5th, 2010 at 10:22 am -
Hair Salons said:
Good explanation about job owner or renter. It’s helpful information for employee.
January 6th, 2010 at 4:42 am -
printing said:
My renter usually mails the check for rent to me, and I have to go to my bank branch to deposit it. How can I let my renter directly mail the check to my bank account?
January 6th, 2010 at 8:43 am -
facebook video said:
Thanks to everyone for sharing.
January 7th, 2010 at 1:26 pm -
calivita said:
owner
January 10th, 2010 at 1:27 pm -
germany.calivita said:
owner…Calivita International companies working with network marketing system to members that offers great earnings and career opportunities, within cosmetic products as drugs, etc. professional and high quality products and keep is an multinational company.
January 14th, 2010 at 6:56 am -
germany.calivita said:
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January 14th, 2010 at 6:56 am -
germany.calivita said:
Calivita Member Benefits:
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http://calivitainternational.comJanuary 14th, 2010 at 6:57 am -
textbook rental said:
It is very similar to how some would say by commenting you are sharing in the creation of a blog, to make your comments mean something is treating a blog like your own not just a place you are renting… Great work Sara.
January 15th, 2010 at 12:15 am -
textbook rental said:
Rounding up your employees is an excellent idea, problem with that though, is people can see through fakensss, so you better really care before you go handing out ataboys. Paul
January 15th, 2010 at 4:51 pm -
Bidet said:
That is great advice, every owner should follow. I agree with them all, especially the one about the disruptive workers. If they are disrupting the work flow you should talk with them and if they can’t change. You should let them go.
January 24th, 2010 at 1:56 pm -
calivita.com said:
an owner
February 1st, 2010 at 5:12 pm -
seo said:
ideas will come into your mind and the writting will be very easier.
February 5th, 2010 at 8:22 am -
Turkey said:
I’m trying to have a career:)
February 6th, 2010 at 3:41 pm -
kelowna mortgage said:
So how many days does an owner need to give a renter to move out in Arizona?
March 3rd, 2010 at 10:00 pm -
how to start a blog said:
how about bonuses and stock options?
March 5th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
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