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Culture. What you believe really matters. Ownership

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Business Attorney and Success Advisor

CULTURE really does matter.  What is your business's culture?  If the owner hasn't set it, have the employees?  Is the culture best for business, or is it an accident?  At ActionCOACH, Brad Sugars has done a great job defining fourteen points of culture that guide the company and the coaches...and they're spot on for quality, accuracy and results!

For the first point of culture (the beginning to this series of sorts), please see: http://activerain.com/blogsview/567470/Culture-What-you-believe

At ActionCOACH, our second point of culture is OWNERSHIP.  Here's what ownership means to ActionCOACH and to me:

"I am truly responsible for my actions and outcomes and own everything that takes place in my work and my life. I am accountable for my results and I know that for things to change, first I must change."

In practical terms, that means "I own it".  When I make a mistake, it's mine.  Even if I could put the blame elsewhere, I'm the one who is accountable for my results so I won't blame others.  For example, if I'm late to an appointment, I don't blame traffic...I don't blame my secretary for bad directions.  I own it...and by taking accountablility and ownership, I'm willing and able to change (and therefore, prevent the same thing from happening in the future).

 

Comments (5)

Vicky Chrisner
Fieldstone Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

As a kid, I had a preacher who had a saying "An Excuse is the Skin of a Reason, Stuffed with a Lie".  I live by that.

My parents were divorced, and every other weekend I was at my dad's and didn't go to church. The next Sunday, Pastor Andes would day "Vicky, we missed you last Sunday", to which I would reply "I couldn't come, I was at my dad's."  Boy, was that an excuse.  My church was closer to my dad's house than my mom's.  My dad would have taken me to church if I had asked.  My preacher knew that.  One day he called me out on it, and said  - "Vicky, you don't have to give me an excuse, in fact, it's probably better if you don't.  God knows all. "  From then on, I only said "I missed being here" - and I did... I just wanted to be with my dad MORE than I wanted to be in church.  I am pretty sure God understood that, and I know Pastor Andes did.

Jun 27, 2008 03:22 AM
Jason Romrell
Business Attorney and Success Advisor - Los Angeles, CA

Vicky...what a GREAT story and a perfect example of ownership.  Thank you so much for sharing it!!

Jun 27, 2008 03:27 AM
Brian Brumpton
Keller Williams Boise - Boise, ID
Boise Idaho Real Estate

Jason,

Good stuff my friend.  Glad to see you back at it on AR!  Looks like you've changed directions and I'm glad to see you doing well.

Jul 07, 2008 08:03 AM
Pam Pugmire
Silvercreek Realty Group - Meridian, ID
Meridian Idaho Real Estate

I love Vicky's story.  Ownership is such a relief because if you caused the problem, you can fix it!!!  It takes you out of the victim's seat.

Jul 08, 2008 05:46 AM
Jason Romrell
Business Attorney and Success Advisor - Los Angeles, CA

Amen Pam.  Thanks for commenting.

Brian, I just got back from 2 weeks in Europe...no phone or computer (loved it then...but I'm paying for it now...haha).  I absolutely love the coaching business.  Much less adversarial and a lot more rewarding for my clients and myself.  Who do you know (brokers or business owners outside real estate) who need business help?  I love being able to assist struggling businesses, but it's even more fun to see good businesses turn into GREAT businesses (consider, for example, that Tiger Woods has several coaches...and he's already the best golfer in the world).

Jul 17, 2008 07:23 AM