Cory Lebovitz

One of my wife and I’s favorite restaurants is a little place in Buford, GA called Rico’s World Kitchen. The reason it is near the top of our list is because of our first experience there. The place was a hole in the wall, with seating for maybe 10 people. While the food was incredible – the way we were served made Rico’s stand out to us.

From the first moment we walked in our server treated us like we were royalty. And his attitude towards the food made it sound like he had crafted it himself. By the time we had ordered our food, I was convinced our server was also the owner of the restaurant. He was not.

Near the middle of our meal an older woman came out and started telling us about all of the amazing desserts. She made sure we tried 3-4 of the best cakes. She talked with such passion and dedication about the food I became convinced she was the owner. She was not.

Eventually Rico (the actual owner) came out and we met him. We loved our experience there not just because the food was excellent but because every person working there owned the experience and they acted as if they were the owner of the restaurant.

Our experience at Rico’s World Kitchen helped highlight a basic leadership truth. The owner is not simply the person on the top of the org chart or with their name on the deed. An owner is a person who embodies the vision and lets pressure & responsibility rest on their shoulders. (click to tweet)

No matter your position in the organization, you have the ability to be an owner.  In fact the best teams, churches and organizations have many owners. Ownership is not something that is bestowed or earned; it is a choice that each person makes.

Owners experience their destiny as intertwined with the team they represent. (click to tweet)

Here are 3 ways each of us can be an owner on our team:

Owners Show Up Differently – Owners show up prepared mentally and physically; they arrive early and stay late.  Workers show up and have their mind on where they have been or where they are going when they are done – owners stay singularly focused in the moment.

Owners Do Not Make Excuses – Passing the buck does not help the team.  Roadblocks and breakdowns are things that owners face head on.  Owners recognize that making an excuse does not fix the problem; it just shifts it emotionally. (click to tweet)  Owners take the attitude that if there is a problem to solve, they can be part of the solution.

Owners Set the Bar – The owners set the bar for everyone else in the organization.  Those who act like owners set a standard for others to follow. They are a pace car that defines the quality and speed of everyone around them.  When there are shifts that are needed or new standards required, owners are the first to adjust and pave a way for others.