Leading Your Company Beyond Accountability to Taking Ownership with Gene Hammett, CEO Coach

In this episode, I explore the concept of Beyond Accountability, uncovering the critical differences between accountability and ownership in organizations. Drawing from my work with fast-growing companies, I reveal how moving beyond simple accountability to true ownership fosters deeper commitment and resilience, inspiring team members to consistently exceed expectations. I share why creating a culture rooted in pride, responsibility, and alignment with organizational goals is essential for sustainable success. To help leaders implement this shift, I also extend an invitation to a free training session designed to build a culture of ownership. By embracing the principles of Beyond Accountability, leaders can empower their teams and unlock meaningful, long-term growth.

• Beyond Accountability
• Culture of Ownership
• Leading to Excellence
• Elements of Ownership

Beyond Accountability: The Power of True Ownership in Teams

In this episode, I delve into the critical distinction between accountability and ownership within organizations. As I have navigated the terrain of fast-growing companies, it has become clear that fostering true ownership among team members is far more valuable than simply ensuring they are accountable. Accountability may create a structured environment where tasks are completed, but ownership cultivates a deep-seated commitment that drives individuals to persevere through challenges and remain steadfast in pursuit of both team and individual goals. Drawing from my extensive experience working with successful companies, I emphasize the need to instill a culture where team members feel a sense of pride and responsibility towards their objectives. Ownership transcends mere compliance—it transforms how individuals engage with their work, leading them to not only meet expectations but to exceed them with excellence. I encourage leaders to reflect on whether they want their teams to merely check boxes or to genuinely own the outcomes of their efforts.

From Structures to Ownership: Building Teams That Truly Care

As I share insights from my seven years of studying the dynamics of growth within organizations, I highlight the myriad ways to create accountability structures that work optimally, regardless of one’s presence. From documented agreements to regular progress assessments, these structures are foundational. Yet I argue that to elevate a team from merely being accountable to truly taking ownership, leaders must adopt a more profound approach. This involves nurturing a shared vision and fostering an environment where team members are motivated by more than just the basics of their job descriptions. Throughout the episode, I explore the concept of ownership in detail. It requires leaders to engage deeply with their teams, understanding their unique contributions and aligning them with the overarching goals of the organization. When individuals identify with their work, they invest not just time, but care into its quality and impact.

Leading the Shift: Cultivating a Culture of Ownership for Growth

To further assist leaders in making this transition, I offer an invitation to a free training where I unpack the crucial steps necessary to build a culture of ownership. This training is tailored for those operating organizations with a sizeable workforce, allowing participants to grasp the strategies essential for cultivating committed and empowered teams. By engaging in this transformative process, leaders can propel their organizations towards sustainable growth, creating environments where team members are not only accountable but passionately involved in driving success. As we wrap up the discussion, I reiterate the importance of being at the forefront of this cultural shift. Leaders must embody the principles of ownership themselves, guiding their teams to embrace a mindset that is committed to excellence and driven by a sense of identity within the company. The path to meaningful growth begins with this commitment, supported by frameworks that promote engagement and initiative at every level. Join me on this journey, and let’s redefine what it means to grow together.

Episode Transcript

Gene Hammett: Do you really want your people to be accountable or do you want them to take ownership? (00:00):
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Gene Hammett: When you think about what's beyond accountability, it's people who say that (00:03):
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Gene Hammett: they will do something and then they will do it no matter what headwinds come (00:08):
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Gene Hammett: in their way, what challenges or issues. (00:13):
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Gene Hammett: When I was working with those fast growth companies and I was studying what made them who they are, (00:15):
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Gene Hammett: they want their people to feel a sense of ownership to the goals that the company has, (00:20):
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Gene Hammett: to the goals that the team has, and they want them to take ownership in the (00:25):
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Gene Hammett: goals that they have as individuals, (00:28):
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Gene Hammett: and they want them to work so diligently and so focused on those goals and not (00:30):
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Gene Hammett: be distracted by other things and take a real sense of ownership around it, (00:37):
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Gene Hammett: a sense of pride and identity to really create that kind of business. (00:40):
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Speaker1: Welcome to Growth Think Tank. This is the one and only place where you will (00:46):
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Speaker1: get insight from the founders and the CEOs of the fastest growing privately held companies. (00:49):
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Speaker1: I am the host. My name is Gene Hammett. I hope leaders and their teams navigate (00:54):
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Speaker1: the defining moments of their growth. (00:59):
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Gene Hammett: Are you ready to grow? Today, we talk about accountability. Creating a culture (01:01):
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Gene Hammett: of accountability might be what you're looking for, or if you lean into today, (01:06):
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Gene Hammett: you will find something a little bit more valuable than accountability. (01:10):
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Gene Hammett: My name is Gene Hammett. I'm a CEO coach. We do executive coaching. (01:15):
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Gene Hammett: We do leadership development, helping managers become leaders, (01:19):
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Gene Hammett: and we've worked with more Inc. 5000 companies in leadership development than anyone in the world. (01:22):
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Gene Hammett: I'm here to help you grow as a leader and help you grow your company. (01:27):
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Gene Hammett: When you think of what is really going on in your business, when you ask someone (01:31):
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Gene Hammett: to do something, do you have the accountability structures in place that work (01:36):
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Gene Hammett: without you being there? (01:41):
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Gene Hammett: Do they work with you being there? Some people don't even have that. (01:43):
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Gene Hammett: So if you don't have accountability in your business, then this is what you want. (01:46):
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Gene Hammett: Or maybe you don't have enough accountability, let's put it that way, (01:51):
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Gene Hammett: then you will get a lot out of today's video. (01:53):
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Gene Hammett: I've been studying fast growth companies for about seven years. (01:56):
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Gene Hammett: It goes way back to where two of my clients made the Inc 5000 in the same year. (02:00):
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Gene Hammett: I had been working with them to get them to 2 million, which is the minimum (02:05):
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Gene Hammett: threshold, and they surpassed it. (02:09):
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Gene Hammett: And it was an incredible moment for me as a coach to be there when that happened (02:11):
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Gene Hammett: and to be on their team, be their partner, if you will. (02:16):
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Gene Hammett: And I started studying other companies that made the list. (02:19):
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Gene Hammett: And one of the things that came out of it wasn't about just responsibility. (02:22):
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Gene Hammett: It wasn't even just about accountability. It was next level. (02:27):
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Gene Hammett: So we could talk about accountability structures. I could tell you that you (02:31):
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Gene Hammett: should be writing down what you expect of your people. (02:34):
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Gene Hammett: They should write it down. It should be in a place where both people can go back to it. (02:39):
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Gene Hammett: It should be black and white, and it should be yes or no, or some other type (02:43):
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Gene Hammett: of metric that is very clear. Are we making progress? Are we on target? Are we above target? (02:48):
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Gene Hammett: Do we have a plan? You should have that documented. And that level of accountability (02:54):
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Gene Hammett: comes in different ways. (02:59):
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Gene Hammett: It is group accountability. It is one-on-one accountability. (03:01):
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Gene Hammett: It is traditional accountability that you know of. And there's many more elements (03:04):
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Gene Hammett: to that. But let me ask you a question. (03:09):
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Gene Hammett: Do you really want your people to be accountable or do you want them to take ownership? (03:11):
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Gene Hammett: When you think about what's beyond accountability, it's people who say that (03:15):
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Gene Hammett: they will do something and then they will do it no matter what headwinds come (03:20):
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Gene Hammett: in their way, what challenges or issues. (03:25):
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Gene Hammett: When I was working with those fast growth companies and I was studying what (03:28):
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Gene Hammett: made them who they are, they want their people to feel a sense of ownership (03:31):
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Gene Hammett: to the goals that the company has, to the goals that the team has, (03:35):
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Gene Hammett: and they want them to take ownership in the goals that they have as individuals. (03:39):
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Gene Hammett: And they want them to work so diligently and so focused on those goals and not (03:42):
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Gene Hammett: be distracted by other things and take a real sense of ownership around it, (03:49):
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Gene Hammett: a sense of pride and identity to really create that kind of business. (03:52):
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Gene Hammett: Now, I share this with you because when you create a culture of ownership, (03:57):
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Gene Hammett: it goes beyond accountability. (04:00):
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Gene Hammett: It goes beyond responsibility for sure. (04:02):
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Gene Hammett: Again, responsibility, I didn't impact that, but you paying them for their work, (04:06):
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Gene Hammett: for their hours, that's not enough. (04:11):
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Gene Hammett: Accountability is another level, but then ownership is the really premium level. (04:13):
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Gene Hammett: People that take a sense of pride and identity in the work that they're doing (04:19):
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Gene Hammett: and they want it to not just be done, they want it to be excellent. (04:23):
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Gene Hammett: They want it to be valuable. (04:26):
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Gene Hammett: That is a culture of ownership. And it starts with you. You have to lead people to that next level. (04:28):
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Gene Hammett: If you want to go a little bit further in this, we talk about it on a training (04:33):
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Gene Hammett: that we host absolutely free. (04:37):
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Gene Hammett: And if you want to sign up for that training, go to training.coreelevation.com. (04:39):
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Gene Hammett: You can get it for free and it will help you evolve as a leader and grow your (04:43):
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Gene Hammett: company and make a company that grows without you. (04:47):
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Gene Hammett: Inside there, we talk about the five steps that must be in place. (04:49):
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Gene Hammett: And you definitely want to tune into that. (04:52):
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Gene Hammett: If that's where you are, You must have about 20 employees or more in order to (04:54):
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Gene Hammett: get the value out of this and be ready for this level of leadership. (04:58):
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Gene Hammett: But that is just an incredible opportunity for you if you sign up. (05:01):
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Gene Hammett: Go to training.coelevation.com and you can sign up for free. (05:06):
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Gene Hammett: When you think about your own team, do you want them to just take responsibility? (05:09):
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Gene Hammett: Probably not. Do you want them to take accountability? Yes. But do you want (05:14):
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Gene Hammett: them to go beyond accountability to take real ownership? Also, yes. (05:17):
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Gene Hammett: You've got to be the leader who drives that. You've got to understand the core elements of ownership. (05:22):
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Gene Hammett: I will share them on the training. If you have the chance to check it out, (05:27):
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Gene Hammett: it's absolutely free every week and you won't regret it. (05:30):
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Gene Hammett: My name is Gene Hammett. I'm here to help you any way possible. (05:34):
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Gene Hammett: When you think of growth and you think of leadership, think of Growth Think (05:37):
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Gene Hammett: Tank. As always, live with courage. We'll see you next time. (05:40):
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