Advertise for Ownership
A majority of employment ads outline tasks and responsibilities in great detail, but the personal qualities, work style, and character of the dream employee are barely mentioned or completely absent. Is that because managers have not taken the time to define the intangibles or because they’re afraid to ask for what they want? Whatever the reason, it’s like ordering an omelet without specifying the ingredients and hoping that what you’re served is something that you’ll love. It might happen, but it’s a long shot.
If you want an employee with ownership, you need to advertise for ownership and define what it means to you. Some simple examples of how to advertise for ownership are:
- You must have a strong sense of ownership which drives you to find ways to do things better, faster, and cheaper.
- Need someone who takes ownership with each transaction, and finds ways to delight and impress customers every day.
- Success in this job requires that you take ownership in your assigned department and exceed the expectations of your supervisor with your efficiency and attention to detail.
With one simple line in your employment ad you can scare off some of the slackers and set the stage for an ownership discussion in the interview.
Interview for Ownership
Every employer hopes that every applicant will bring that magical quality of ownership with them, but few employers make that an identified requirement for hiring. Along with math skills, computer experience, and customer service demeanor, ownership is a quality that needs to be on “the list” if it’s something that’s important for the job. Here’s some basic interview questions that will help you determine if the candidate in front of you truly has a sense of ownership.
- “In the advertisement for the job, we said that you needed to have a strong sense of ownership. What does that mean to you?”
- “We expect everyone to take ownership for the success of this business. Do you think you are that kind of person? Give me an example of how you have taken ownership for the success of something in school or work or in your personal life.”
- “Here’s what we mean by ownership… If you should see trash in the parking lot on your way into the store in the morning, or on your way out at night, we would expect you to pick up that trash not because someone is watching you, but because you don’t like working in a trashy place. Would you be willing to do that? Give me an example of something you did in a previous job just because it was important to you.”
A blank stare will tell the tale. If the candidate can’t think of a way to answer your question, or can’t easily give you a concrete example, then ownership is not something that comes naturally to him or her. Someone with a strong sense of ownership has many examples of it and will be proud to tell you about them. Whether it’s something dramatic like the fundraiser they spearheaded for tsunami victims, or something small like taking a plastic bag to clean up after their dog in the park, a demonstration of ownership in any area of life demonstrates that this applicant will be bringing that valuable quality into your business.
Hire for Ownership
Perhaps a candidate seems qualified in every way but seems to lack that elusive quality of ownership. Should you hire that person anyway? It’s important to consider the value of ownership in this job position for the organization. Ask yourself these questions:
- Will the employee be working without supervision?
- Is there a large amount of direct customer contact that the employee will have as a regular part of their job?
- Is this a unique position with unique responsibilities as opposed to a duplicate position on a large team?
If you answered “yes” to any or all of these questions, then it would serve you and your organization best for you to hold out for ownership. In an unsupervised position, a person with ownership will be productive and motivated without any external source of inspiration or direction. In a customer contact position, a person with ownership will take charge of the interactions and ensure that they are led to their best possible conclusions. In a position that is not duplicated anywhere else, a person with ownership will know that others are depending on their contribution, and will thrive in that position of key responsibility.
There are some job positions in which ownership would be nice, but it’s not necessary. But if you’re hiring for a position in which ownership is key factor for success, then it is a quality worth waiting for.
If you think that anyone can be taught ownership behaviors, then you might want to think again. You can encourage an ownership tendency and watch it grow, but if the seed isn’t there, you can dig all you want and you’ll never find that proactive, responsible employee that you really desire. Skills can be taught. Personality and internal qualities cannot. In the hiring process, it’s important to get clear about the intangible qualities that the candidate is bringing to your party before you decide to invite them in.
