We all are employees who work for a living. Unfortunately our bosses are always breathing down our neck, isn’t it! Let’s be honest to ourselves that at one point in time or the other, we all wished that we had a better job. And while we peruse these thoughts we are dead sure that there must be something better out there for us. These statements have at one point in time or the other, passed through each one of our minds.

And we cannot deny to have been encountering uncertainty in the job that we are doing; and we also have felt a lot of times that our efforts and the work which we do, does not quite justify and satisfy our true ability.

Don’t you think that this is exactly where the paradox lies for all of us! We all become so irresolute that we tend to forget one simple fact, which is no matter what amount of above distress we go through, but yet we continue to work in the same organization, with same bosses. And why is that so??

I personally think that we do have a very easy way out from this level of anguish and woe. And that is our ‘fundamental right to ownership’ at workplace. We need to change our prototype from the traditional “I work for the organization” to one whereby we are able to change our mindset and see as if “the organization is working for me” instead. It’s high time that we should learn to see ourselves as the owner, no matter where we stand in our organization. Achieving this paradigm shift in us will automatically allow us to start contributing effectively to our organization. This is an intrinsic privilege of working in development sector.

Another added benefit of working in development sector is that ‘ownership’ is given at a very early stage. This is not just enhancing oneself but also giving a clearer perspective, which otherwise is quite difficult to have at an early stage of ones’ career.

Any job we do has our fingerprints all over it and that is why it becomes extremely important to take possession of our job or anything we do, and really own it. We need to give in our best and then we definitely work towards aiming success.

Exerting ownership at workplace therefore becomes very important. And part of this ownership proposition demands that we continue to learn. It was ONLY once upon a time during our ancestral great grandfathers’ era that hierarchy made decisions for people; hierarchies told them what to do and how to do it. In return, they were compensated. This social contract began to erode at least a generation ago with the rise of emerging global competitors and downsizing became a way of life.

The world we live in today has undergone rapid and disruptive changes. What were accepted norms are being thrown out of the window! New ideas, new working philosophy and new creed are replacing the old ones.

Smart employees realized that they must fend for themselves, or at least develop their own skills. Whether you work for a small company or a large one, you are responsible for your career development. Insist on it. This means that your employability and survivability in your organization is based on your ability to take ownership of what you are doing. Even if you are employed by someone else, you are as much the owner of the company as your employer is. When you take ownership of what you are doing you internalize that part of your job and become energized in what you do.

Our attitude towards anything plays a very important role in our lives. And this is one aspect which is emphasized in development sector. Working in development sector gives importance to not only the professional outlook of an individual, but also personal growth. It is a holistic sector which caters to all the needs from personal to professional growth and from skills to attitude. Hence, owning the job or the work which one does comes naturally to them.

If your boss is not giving you feedback, ask for it. If your teammates are driving you crazy, talk to them. If you are struggling with an impossible workload, find ways to lighten it. Proceeding as you are is inefficient; failing to address the problem may be even worse.

Ownership is not just about admitting when you’re wrong. It’s also about recognizing what you’ve done right.” This analogy is true; as it helps you repeat your positive actions and move forward confidently.

Taking ownership also requires courage to face the consequences. More often, people who are competent are not willing to take ownership purely because there is a general fear of failure or fear of the future. Any organization that desires of developing staff should have superiors who encourage competent people under them to take leadership positions while working in allaying the fears of consequences. Empowering the staff, especially when they are fit to take on additional responsibilities can also be of a great benefit. An open environment which allows all sorts of communication to flourish, so that everyone knows their job, is also a tool used by superiors. And finally a habit of emotionally connecting with the staff would be an added aid, so that they see them not just as their superior, but someone whom they can trust and rely upon. This is commonly noticed in social/development sector.

Sometimes it is easy to forget where we are going and hence end someplace else. Only to realize that there was no necessity to move at all in the first place. Creating this sense of self-awareness in ourselves will make us work in a more efficacious way and help us remain self-motivated.

Lastly, “if you do not know what to do, if you are not sure, then do you know what not to do??” When whatever is not working out your way, you are free to find something better and you usually do it accurately because you OWN it.