The Real Reason Your Team Lacks Devoted Ownership (And How To Smash This)
Learn how to inspire people to act without being told
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Introduction
One of the most common questions leaders ask is:
“How do I get my team to be more accountable?”
But that’s the wrong question. What they actually mean is:
“How do I get my team to take more ownership?”
Accountability can be assigned, but ownership must be taken.
Let’s unpack this difference and see why it changes everything about how you lead.
Responsibility: what’s assigned to you
Responsibility is the what.
It’s the work you’re assigned; your job description, tasks, and deliverables.
When a business defines your roles and responsibilities, it’s creating structure and clarity.
That’s essential. But it doesn’t automatically create engagement.
People can be responsible and still disengaged.
They can check all the boxes and still not care.
Accountability: what’s expected from you
Accountability is the measurement of that responsibility.
It’s how the business ensures the work actually gets done.
Managers hold people accountable through:
- Clear expectations
- Metrics and targets
- Regular feedback loops
Accountability is external.
It’s something leaders create and monitor.
But here’s the limitation: accountability works only when it’s policed.
When the leader steps away, performance often dips. That’s where ownership comes in.
Ownership: What’s taken, not given
Ownership is personal.
It’s emotional. It’s when someone says, “This is mine — I’m going to make it work.”
Unlike responsibility or accountability, ownership can’t be assigned.
It comes from within. You can’t demand it. You can only inspire it.
Ownership is what turns employees into leaders — people who act without being asked, solve problems before they escalate, and take pride in results.
So, how do you create ownership?
Start by looking inwards.
Before asking “Why isn’t my team accountable?”, ask yourself:
- Have I set clear expectations?
- Have I defined measurable outcomes?
- Do I give timely feedback?
- Do I model ownership myself?
If those answers are yes, move to the next layer, i.e., ownership enablement.
You promote ownership when you:
01 - Give people autonomy in how they deliver results.
02 - Involve them in decision-making.
03 - Recognize efforts publicly.
04 - Create a safe space for failure and learning.
People take ownership when they feel trusted, empowered, and valued, not controlled.
Food for thought
Leadership isn’t about enforcing accountability.
It’s about cultivating ownership, because when people own their outcomes, you no longer need to push them; they’ll pull the whole team forward.
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P.S.: Image made on Meta AI using the prompt, “Create an image of a realistic-looking image of an ongoing leadership training with some leaders looking exhausted and some are joyous and full of energy - stylize 210”