“No one washes a rental car.”
An aligned team does more than “punch the clock” and show up for work. The members of an aligned team care about the outcome and care about doing whatever they can to contribute to the team’s success. They contribute to the planning and want to add value. The members of an aligned team are not just “renting” their presence on the team. They care about the outcome, as if it were their own possession.
So how do we facilitate ownership among our teammates? I think the answer is simply this: give people a seat at the table. Give them a voice. Ask their opinion. Four of the most empowering words we can ask a colleague or a team member are “what do you think?” When we ask people what they think and give them a say in the outcome, they are now contributing to the plan, and once they contribute they feel more included and they now own at least a small piece of the pie.
We don’t want people punching the clock and just showing up for work. We want people who care, who want to be there, and protect the team and the project as if it were their own prized possession.
Photo: vandys
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