Ownership Over Authority: How Leaders Win by Letting Go | Scott McCarthy | Episode 346

Today's episode addresses one of the most pressing challenges for leaders: getting teams to take real ownership of their work and their organizational culture. Encouraging ownership is a proven way to unlock peak performance, improve retention, and foster genuine satisfaction among team members. For many leaders, though, instilling this sense of responsibility goes beyond just handing out incentives—it requires a cultural shift and purposeful leadership tactics.

Ownership in the workplace means empowering individuals and teams to see the bigger picture, to make decisions, and to feel personally invested in their organization’s success. When team members truly believe it is “their unit,” engagement and performance skyrocket. This episode breaks down actionable strategies, including drawing inspiration from military tradition, that any leader—no matter their sector or authority level—can use to inspire this powerful sense of ownership. By making it clear that each member has a voice and a stake, leaders can drive transformational results and set their organizations up for lasting success.

Timestamped Overview

• [00:00:00] Why driving team ownership is a top challenge—and a top opportunity—for leaders
• [00:01:53] Real-world example: How WestJet Airlines used employee ownership to gain a competitive edge
• [00:04:51] The limits of stock options and traditional incentives for everyday leaders
• [00:06:23] Military traditions as a tool for building ownership: The coin tradition explained
• [00:07:59] Changing perspectives: Why “it’s your unit” matters more than “it’s my unit”
• [00:08:42] The significance of continuity and culture in organizations with high turnover
• [00:10:51] Practical implementation: Engraving “it’s your unit” onto recognition coins
• [00:11:37] Overcoming skepticism and building lasting buy-in for team ownership
• [00:12:57] Adapting the ownership model to various industries and team structures
• [00:14:00] Empowering teams to localize decision making and drive results
• [00:14:56] Leadership wrap-up: Using tradition and mentality shifts to build ownership
• [00:15:50] Free leadership self-assessment resource for continued growth

Resources Mentioned

• Lead Don’t Boss Leadership Assessment
• Moving Forward Leadership Website
• Peak Performance Leadership Podcast Subscription

For the complete show notes be sure to check out our website:

https://leaddontboss.com/346