Blog: The art of taking ownership: A guide

Life @ Work

The art of taking ownership: A guide

Owning your mistakes is vital for career growth. It fosters trust, credibility, and a reputation for responsibility, which can open doors to new opportunities and propel your advancement.
The art of taking ownership: A guide

Most employees in organizations grapple with the decision of whether or not to admit their mistakes. The human brain often shields our egos from blame, leading many to choose the easier path of evasion. While this might seem like a temporary solution, it can have serious long-term consequences.

Avoiding accountability can hinder your career growth, prevent you from learning from your mistakes, and ultimately damage your reputation.

Taking ownership, on the other hand, demonstrates maturity, integrity, and a willingness to learn. It allows you to address issues proactively, prevent them from escalating, and build trust with your colleagues and superiors. By embracing responsibility, you can position yourself as a valuable asset to the organization and pave the way for future success.

Overcoming the urge to deflect blame can be challenging, as our egos often resist taking responsibility. However, it's not impossible. For employees seeking to advance their careers, taking ownership of mistakes is a crucial step. While it may require effort, the long-term benefits are significant.

Enhancement of decision-making ability

Taking ownership enhances decision-making ability. When employees justify their mistakes, they distort reality, creating an alternate world that hinders their ability to make sound judgments. Recognizing one's errors and weaknesses is essential for self-improvement and leadership development.

Future leaders are often characterized by their willingness to acknowledge mistakes and take corrective action.

Helps in curbing the escalation of petty issues

Taking ownership can prevent minor issues from escalating into major problems. By acknowledging mistakes and taking corrective action, employees can avoid the negative consequences of unchecked errors. This proactive approach demonstrates responsibility and can also contribute to career growth by expanding one's knowledge and skills.

Invest in well-being

Ownership is about navigating your investment in the right direction. A responsible employee focuses not only on self-well-being but also on the well-being of the organization. He/ She is focused and is motivated to drive responsible investment in the organization. The outcomes, which he seeks to achieve, are in sync with the growth of the organization and positive returns are bound to come.

Allows one to create learning

It is true that with great power comes great responsibility, hence one is required to take on all the implications of a decision taken by the individual who affects the organisation in a significant way. It allows the person to introspect his mistakes as the individual is entirely held responsible for the pros and cons of a decision. Once an individual accepts the faults he/she is bound to never repeat them intentionally. 

Strengthens official relationships

If an employee does not own up to the mistakes, it somehow hampers the relationship with the other concerned people. They may think you are self-centred and can shirk off responsibility at any given time. Employers might think of you as an irresponsible professional, who is not ready to take ownership and get the tasks accomplished. 

The more we realise that success comes due to our continual efforts and work, the less threatening making mistakes becomes. As professionals and future leaders, we should all recognize that making mistakes is a part of a learning process, which helps you grow.

Taking ownership is not just about admitting mistakes; it's a fundamental aspect of professional development. By embracing responsibility, employees can enhance their decision-making skills, prevent issues from escalating, and build trust with colleagues. While it may require overcoming ego-driven tendencies, the long-term benefits are substantial. Taking ownership demonstrates maturity, fosters a growth mindset, and positions individuals as valuable assets to their organizations. It's a crucial step on the path to career success and leadership development

 

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Topics: Life @ Work, Leadership, #HR Ready

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