Dream Big and Win

6Owning

Ownership is one of my core values and a philosophy every entrepreneur and employee should embrace. As an employee, taking ownership in your job and your company is one of the surest ways you can excel professionally. You position yourself for success when you act as if you own the company, project, or team, regardless of your position or your paygrade.

“Great, Liz,” you might say, “but what does creating a culture of ownership mean?”

So glad you asked.

Where Does the Buck Stop? Good Question

Creating a culture of ownership means that no matter where I've been, from Cadet Cleaners to co‐CEO of TransPerfect, I've operated with the notion that 100 percent of the company's success was on my shoulders. That means I made myself accountable and held myself responsible for all aspects of what the job entailed. Everywhere I worked, the following questions dictated my behavior:

• How would the owner express gratitude for a customer's business?
• How would the owner process the customer's suggestions?
• How would the owner solve an employee's problem?
• How would the owner encourage teamwork?
• How would the owner communicate an idea?
• How would the owner handle a complaint?
• How would the owner keep abreast of industry changes?
• How would the owner improve service?
• How would the owner innovate?
• How would the owner go the extra mile?
• How does the buck stop with the owner?

Every summer during college, I worked two jobs. My evening and weekend employment was as an usherette for the Toronto ...