Leadership Development

by Brandon Seyl

5 "Must-Dos" for Servant Leaders

To lead people, walk beside them. As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate … When the best leader’s work is done the people say, ‘We did it ourselves!— Lao Tzu Hey everybody! Servant leadership is just one of many leadership styles, but it’s personally my favorite because it pokes at the heart of leadership—taking care of the needs of others. At its core, the servant leadership approach prioritizes team members’ well-being and growth, putting their needs first to unlock their full potential. Servant leaders are focused on achieving goals and empowering and uplifting those they lead.  Okay — in today’s blog post, I’ll be sharing 5 “Must-Do’s” for how you can best serve your team(s).  Photo by Pixabay at pexels.com Happy Reading! 1. Daily Check-Ups: Okay, let’s not confuse daily check-ups with meetings. A daily check-up is either (1) you physically walking over to your folks, (2) calling/emailing your team, or (3) any other means of connecting.  I recommend this daily until you have established relationships with subordinate leaders and your team. Once you have rapport, you can scale back or adjust as necessary.  However, the intent is to be present and available for your team to openly receive updates about progress, challenges, and opportunities they might face.  Over time, your presence or method of daily check-ups will become typical to your team. This is good. As Lao Tzu mentioned, this is walking beside your team.  Photo by cottonbro studio at pexels.com 2. Provide Resources and Support: Servant leaders flex to whatever their team’s needs are because they understand taking care of their team is the top priority. The best way to do this is to anticipate resourcing gaps and mitigate shortfalls.  Understanding your organization’s vision and upcoming projects is the best way to accomplish this. Communicating this to your team allows them to report metrics or inventory levels, allowing you to identify deficits or align resources properly. Resource management is a no-brainer, as it’s black and white in your duty description. But showing support to your team is the key! For example, you can support your team by stopping by with popsicles or water on a hot summer day. It could also mean reaching out internally or externally to get more manpower or assistance for a project.  Bottom line: You are an enabler. Focus on the background items that allow your team to succeed.  Photo by Tiger Lily at pexels.com 3. Mentor and Coach: One of the greatest values of mentors is the ability to see ahead what others cannot see and to help them navigate a course to their destination. — John C. Maxwell Another reason behind Must-Do #1 is that establishing rapport with your team allows you to understand their strengths, abilities, and interests. You are in a prime position to help your team develop their skills and reach their full potential. However, your junior subordinates usually need a stronger sense of the opportunities and career paths. This is why you must mentor and coach.  For example, you could mentor informally, conduct 1-on-1s, or develop a professional development schedule for your organization.  Photo by Vanessa Garcia at pexels.com The bottom line is that your mentorship and coaching will have a lifelong impact on your folks. It’s worth it 100%.  4. Roll Up Your Sleeves: It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages. — Henry Ford I love this quote from Henry Ford. It sets the tone for servant leadership.  Rolling up your sleeve is an action that sets an example. When your team sees you taking out the trash, cleaning up, or working with them, it has a positive ripple effect.  Photo by MART PRODUCTION at pexels.com Once again, another shameless plug for Must-Do #1. Connecting with your team allows you to create opportunities to roll up your sleeves and get to work. In my experience, if I had to choose between sitting at my desk or going out and jobbing it with my team…it’s a pretty easy choice. 5. Recognize and Appreciate: Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They’re absolutely free and worth a fortune. — Sam Walton My FAVORITE! Best for last, of course.  People want to feel valued and appreciated.  At work.  At home.  Wherever.  It costs nothing to walk over to your team, shake their hands, look them in the eyes, and praise their hard work.  As a leader, this is often the best part of the job. When top performers are recognized, everyone rallies around to show their gratitude. Kind words and hand-written letters are two great methods of showing your appreciation.   Consideration #1: If you have subordinate leaders — don’t rob them of the opportunity to praise their team. Let your subordinate leaders praise their team, then make sure to provide kind words to everyone, including their leader. Consideration #2: Remember the impact family has. Invite the family and friends; a written note or phone call will suffice. No different than your situation, everyone sacrifices something to be at work. Often, it’s the ones we love the most. Photo by RDNE Stock project at pexels.com Alright, in conclusion, by focusing on these 5 “must-dos” (Daily check-ups, Resource and support, Mentor/Coaching, Rolling up your sleeves, and showing appreciation), you can build a high-performing team, foster a positive workplace culture, and drive organizational success through empowerment, support, and genuine care for your team members. I hope you enjoyed it. Until next time.  Brandon 

by Brandon Seyl

5 Steps to Deliver Criticism-Free Feedback

Balancing honesty and tact as a leader is a delicate task.  We’ve all been on the receiving end of negative feedback.  If you’re like many, feelings of self-doubt can undermine your confidence and cause feelings of unworthiness.  Naturally, as social beings, we don’t want to be perceived poorly.  What’s harder than receiving feedback? Giving it.  Why? Because it takes so much courage to confront someone and tell them they did X, Y, or Z incorrectly.  Delivering “constructive criticism” is an art that requires empathy and clear communication.  When offered with good intentions and in a thoughtful manner, it can help individuals learn, improve, and reach their full potential. The goal is for the member to understand your feedback and to receive it positively.   In this blog post, we will discuss five essential steps to deliver constructive criticism to foster growth, understanding, and positive change. Step 1: Choose the Right Time and Place Timing and environment are crucial when delivering constructive criticism.  Instead of rushing to give feedback when someone makes a mistake, it’s helpful to pause and mentally prepare before offering your input. On-the-spot corrections are acceptable but if you have time (which most times you do), you should wait.  One strategy is to have a go-to feedback area. This can be a private setting where the member will be receptive and comfortable. The goal is to maintain confidentiality and minimize distraction.  Then simply notify the member that you would like to discuss “insert subject” at XX:XX on Friday.  This level of preparation allows the member to understand the situation and focus on the feedback.  Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko at pexels.com Step 2: Focus on Specific Behaviors or Actions Constructive feedback should be specific and solution-oriented rather than vague or personal.  Instead of attacking someone’s character, direct your attention to particular behaviors or actions that need improvement.  Be prepared with specific examples to back up your observations. This approach helps the person better understand the issue and provides a clear path towards positive change. For example: Instead of saying, “You’re always so disorganized, “try focusing on a specific instance, like, “During yesterday’s meeting, I noticed that your notes were incomplete, which made it difficult to follow the discussion.” As you can see — one presents a clear path ahead such as improving note-taking skills and the other creates tension because the member is unsure of which way to go.   Photo by Antoni Shkraba at pexels.com Step 3: Use “I” Statements to Express Concern Okay — this is one of the few times where it’s okay to use “I” statements to express your concerns.  “I” statements are great for feedback because they empathize with personal feelings and experiences. This approach avoids making you sound accusatory or judgmental.  For instance, say, “I noticed that sometimes you interrupt others during team discussions, and I feel it hampers effective communication,” instead of using phrases like “You always interrupt everyone!”  By framing your feedback in this way, you foster a more open and non-confrontational conversation. Overall — just saying the word, “you”, can place people on the defensive.  Trust me, this is a hard habit to break but once you do you gain positive control of the interaction.  Photo by Designecologist at pexels.com Step 4: Offer Suggestions and Alternative Perspectives While highlighting areas needing improvement, don’t forget to provide potential solutions or alternatives.  Constructive feedback is not solely about pointing out weaknesses but also about guiding growth.  Offer suggestions and perspectives that can help the person develop better habits, skills, or approaches.  Encourage them to think critically and brainstorm their ideas for improvement Photo by Jens Johnsson at pexels.com Step 5: Show Empathy and Offer Support Delivering constructive criticism should be accompanied by empathy and support.  Acknowledge the person’s efforts and strengths, and demonstrate your belief in their ability to grow.  Make it clear that your goal is to help and support them in their journey towards improvement.  Offer assistance and be available for further discussions or mentoring if needed.  Building trust and rapport will make the person more receptive to feedback and more likely to embrace positive change. Photo by Kevin Malik at pexels.com Conclusion: Constructive feedback, when delivered effectively, can be a catalyst for personal and professional growth.  Summary of 5 Steps: 1. Choosing the right time and place2. Focusing on specific behaviors3. Using “I” statements4. Offering suggestions and alternative paths5. Showing empathy and support  Remember, the ultimate goal is for the member to receive the feedback healthily and productively.  Being able to do so will only create trust within your team.  Happy Reading,  Brandon

by Brandon Seyl

5 Steps to Guide Your Team Out of ‘Firefighting’ Mode

Is everything a priority at work? Are you constantly being bombarded with meaningless work that wasn’t planned out?  Yep. Been there. It sucks.  There’s a name we have for it.  Firefighting mode Photo by Elisa Giaccaglia at pexels.com Unfortunately, it comes without a fantastic truck and uniforms.  However, it does come with plenty of headaches, hair loss, and frustration.  Here’s the reality….an organization doesn’t get there overnight. At its core, it typically boils down to a lack of vision and communication.  Employees need those fundamental ingredients to prioritize their tasks at will. This leads to chaos, with everyone running every which way, making simple tasks much more complicated.  Creating healthy, sustainable processes is an unsolvable mystery.  Do you want to constantly dive into emergencies with a moment to focus on proactive planning and strategy?  Didn’t think so. You are in luck! It’s possible to shift your team from reactive mode to proactive success with the right strategies.  One effective method is implementing a Kanban board to visualize workflow and enhance efficiency. This blog post will outline five practical steps to help your team control the scene.  Step 1: Setting Priorities and Establishing Clear Goals The first step in moving from firefighting to proactive planning is setting priorities and defining clear goals. Sit down with your team to identify the most critical tasks and determine what success looks like for each. Make sure to cast a wide net to collect feedback and opinions from as many team members as possible. Each person's unique perspective and experience will paint a complete picture for you.  When setting goals — don’t forget to make sure they follow S.M.A.R.T. Photo by Markus Winkler at pexels.com S: Specific: Clear, detailed, and well-defined. Outline what you want to accomplish, who is involved, why it’s critical, and any constraints or requirements. Example: Implement a new onboarding program that includes standardized training modules, mentorship opportunities, and knowledge assessments to increase employee performance and satisfaction and reduce errors. Constraints include resource limitations, change resistance, and technological constraints.  M: Measurable: Each goal requires defined metrics, quantities, or milestones that you can use to track your progress and determine when the goal has been achieved. Example: Increase employee proficiency levels by 20% after completing the onboarding training program, as measured by performance evaluations and post-training assessments. A: Achievable: Is the goal realistic and attainable? Consider resources and skills, and determine if the goal is within reach with effort and commitment.  Example: Enhance training readiness by providing access to online learning resources, conducting regular skills development workshops, and assigning mentors to guide employees through their training journey. R: Relevant: Think about the overall business outcomes. Do your goals align with short and long-term plans?  Example: Align the training readiness program with the company’s strategic goals of fostering a culture of continuous learning, employee growth, and readiness to adapt to industry changes. T: Time-bound: Draw the line in the sand. Setting suspense creates a sense of urgency and helps rack & stack priorities.  Example: Roll out the updated training readiness program by the end of the first quarter to ensure all employees have completed the initial modules within the calendar year. Step 2: Implementing a Kanban Board Don’t worry — you are perfectly fine if you don’t know what a Kanban board is. It’s a fancy word for an organized visual workflow. Most people become exposed to them when they are dealing with project management.  But if you think about it….nearly everything is a “project,” so the applicability and use are relevant to stopping “fires.”  Photo by Alena Darmel at pexels.com A Kanban board will quickly convert your complex workflows into visual, manageable tasks. By addressing the root cause of workplace fires (Vision / Communication), a Kanban board helps everyone “see” and “communicate” team goals.   This will give your team a structured framework for tracking progress, managing deadlines, and increasing productivity.  How to Set-up Using a whiteboard or string yarn, create three equal-sized columns: “To-Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.”  Write your tasks/goals on Post-it notes, then place each in its respective column. Pro tip: Priority items are closest to the top.  Congratulations! Your team now has a visual representation that allows them to see where tasks stand in the workflow at a glance, making it easier to prioritize, allocate resources effectively, and identify bottlenecks. As the leader, ensure you are involved early on but gradually take a step back to empower your team members to update the board regularly.  Another nice perk of this strategy is that it provides a very easy visual for your leadership to identify what your team is focusing on.  Step 3: Conducting Regular Team Meetings I’m including this as a step because it’s important to note that a Kanban board DOES NOT replace meetings.  You can see what everyone is working on and where it stands, but it’s much more than a queue viewer. The real value is gained when everyone meets to discuss progress, challenges, and upcoming tasks.  Photo by Christina Morillo at pexels.com Establish a meeting battle rhythm (preferably early in the work week in the morning). This time will create stability and allow everyone to address roadblocks and adjust priorities together.  Step 4: Empowering Team Members and Delegating Responsibly Depending on the volume of work and the size of your team, you might be dealing with 20+ post-it notes on the board. Hence, step #4: Delegation. You will have to delegate tasks to your subordinates.  Photo by Mizuno K at pexels.com The bottom right of each sticky note includes the name of the OPR (Office Professional Responsibility) for the task. I color-coded the sticky notes based on the work section. Adding a member to the bottom right creates ownership and a sense of responsibility.  For example, the help desk is blue, the network team is red, etc.  Your goal as a leader is to encourage autonomy and trust within the team, enabling each member to own their responsibilities. Delegate tasks based on individual strengths and workload, ensuring a balanced distribution of work. Step 5: Recognize Hard Work As you have noticed, the first four steps are just casting a vision and getting everyone on the same page.  Regardless of how successful you are in implementing steps #1–4, anticipate “unplanned” work. You cannot control or prevent your team from facing a fire or two. The main point of these steps is to keep your fire hoses pointed the same way.  Hopefully, by this point, you will recognize significant differences in achieving business outcomes and in your employees' performance and satisfaction.  So, give credit where credit is due. Kudos to those who exceeded everyone's expectations. I recommend presenting praise or awards at your team meetings. Keep it a secret and surprise them. This will instill a sense of accomplishment and pride within your team.  The goal is to create a positive and supportive work environment that builds team cohesion and productivity.  Conclusion: Alright — here’s a recap of how to get your team out of “firefighting” mode.  #1: Set Priorities and Establish Goals#2: Build a Kanban board#3: Regular team meetings#4: Delegate tasks#5: Recognize hard work Just remember, this won’t be an overnight success. It will require getting everyone in the same room and taking some L’s as you invest in this framework. After some time, you will notice everyone working together and succeeding.  Be patient, delegate, and get after it. Happy Reading,  Brandon  

by Brandon Seyl

Leading Forward — Excel in Your First 60 Days

Your first 60 days as a new leader are crucial for setting the tone, building trust, and establishing your credibility. Welcome! If you’re reading this, you may have just accepted a new job or position and are now on the cusp of your leadership journey.  Congratulations! It’s normal to feel excited and nervous. Meeting new people and learning a new organization is a fun experience. Being the new person, not so much. Especially when you’re the leader, all eyes are on you.  Trust me — everyone, and I mean everyone, has and will talk about you.  Why? Your influence will either improve their work lives or cause them to brace the conference room table at every staff meeting in fear.  Don’t worry, though! I’m here to help you navigate it. In today’s post, I’ll outline 2 key points to focus on in your first 60 days. Photo by Magda Ehlers at pexels.com Let’s get into it.  #1: Build Relationships and Establish Trust Let’s take a moment to reflect. Think back to the interactions you had with new leaders. What do you remember?  There is a crucial separation in those interactions that matter. The leaders who stood out approached me as “Brandon” rather than my position.  Okay, okay! Hang with me… In my experience, I’ve learned it’s the first dead giveaway about the leader’s priority. Are they genuinely invested in understanding you or cataloging you in their head based on function? Leader vs. Manager.  We’ve all heard the saying, “People first,” but most leaders' daily actions don’t align.  Keep your mind focused on what matters…..learning your people. With time, you will understand their functions and positions.  I promise you it’s very liberating when you honestly approach these first interactions with curiosity. Just get to know the person. Joke, laugh, listen, and be present.  Here are the five essential things you should know about your folks.  Their name Family Birthday or significant life events Hometown Passions/hobbies? Schedule one-on-one meetings with each team member during your first weeks as a leader. These meetings will give you valuable insights into their personalities and aspirations.  Photo by Marcelo Dias at pexels.com Your goal is to ask questions and learn about the individual. Nothing else matters. When they leave, write notes on your interaction so you can reflect on it.  The longer you can hold back on any work-related interactions, the better because, as a leader, you need strong rapport and trust with your team.  #2: Set Clear Expectations and Goals Clarity is critical when setting expectations and goals for your team.  In your first days, make it abundantly clear that your first goal is to learn the people and mission. Communicate early and often that your vision, objectives, and performance expectations will be communicated to everyone around the 30-day mark.  By providing a roadmap for success and outlining clear deliverables, you empower your team members to align their efforts with the organization's overarching goals. In your first team meeting, solicit and understand your team’s quarterly goals and articulate your individual and collective performance expectations.  Photo by Ann H at pexels.com By asking questions and seeking to understand, you reinforce your first expectation — education. This will invite everyone to share their knowledge with you, creating a cooperative work environment.  From day 1 to day 29, you are essentially a sponge. On or around day 30, you lay out your expectations. Hopefully, with everyone’s collective input, what you say and articulate aligns with the organization.  Alright y’all. Your first 60 days are critical for laying the groundwork for your leadership success. Prioritize relationship-building and setting clear expectations and goals.  If you’re having fun and excited — you’re doing it right! Leadership can be challenging but it’s also gratifying. You’re responsible for shaping and molding the people in your charge. Stay authentic to yourself, and your team will recognize it.  Best of luck!  Until next time,  Brandon

by Brandon Seyl

Mustang Leadership: “Ground Pounding — The “Up & Out” Strategy”(Part 5)

Because firing email “missiles” from your desk will only get you so far.  Welcome back to the Mustang Leadership series. If you’re new here (ABOUT TIME!), check out the links to Parts 1–4 at the bottom of this post. Part 5 features a leadership approach that helps build cross-organizational/department rapport to ease your team’s problems. This approach, and credit, goes to a mentor of mine, who dubbed it “Ground Pounding.”  Photo by Nelson Rodriguez at pexels.com The inspiration, “Ground Pounders,” is a slang term used to refer to U.S. Army infantry soldiers because of the long hours they spend marching.  Okay — let’s get after it.   What is Ground Pounding? Most of us know the classic leadership advice of leaving behind your desk to see the organization firsthand. Some of those benefits include learning about your people, their mission, and professional goals, all of which will help you lead.  That is solid advice for new supervisors but ground-pounding is about more than meeting your people. By this point, I hope you have identified the frequency of how often you visit your team without being disruptive. (Yes — there are negatives too) Ground pounding involves meeting the people external to your team that your organization relies on or provides service or support to.  Photo by Laura Tancredi at pexels.com For me, this realization was groundbreaking (horrible pun).  It’s no longer enough to step away from your desk—you have to think “up and out,” which may involve leaving your building, city, or country to develop professional relationships.  This is important because each organization has sections, departments, or [insert name]. The inherent problem with an organizational structure is that it naturally creates information silos and barriers to communication.  We, including myself, are very guilty of ignoring anything external to our respective “silo.” But not anymore. From this day forward, we will be ground pounders.  Now that we’ve covered what ground pounding is, let’s seek to understand the more extensive workforce.  Understanding the Work Environment  Did you know that over 754,633 office workers are employed in the United States?  To put that into perspective, the United States civilian labor force amounted to 167.43 million people. That’s a lot of people not tethered to a desk full-time. When you think of just how many people are scattered across the departments below, it highlights how imperative it is to think “up and out.”  Top 10 Company Departments:  Administrative Human Resources Purchasing Information Technology Operations/Delivery Product/Service Development Sales Marketing Accounting Finance The Ground Pounding Approach Step 1 (Identify): Examine your organization processes to determine what your inflow and outflows are. List out every external dependency by annotating the respective organization or person.  Think about what makes your organization “tick”. For example, you work in the Human Resources (HR) Department and know that new employees have Information Technology (IT) requirements such as creating their email account. This is a key “outflow” process for your team as you are dependent on the IT department.  Photo by Christina Morillo at pexels.com Step 2 (Rack & Stack): Create a value system next to how dependent you are on this person/team. List in order of dependency. By listing out every process you can sort by relevancy. This will help you later on in determining how much energy/effort to exhaust.  Step 3 (Plan): Develop a schedule that lists out the frequency with whom you need to visit. Once a relationship is established this will become more natural and less formal. (Which is right where you want to be) Photo by Jess Bailey Designs at pexels.com Step 4 (Act): Meet with those teams and people you have determined. Find opportunities to help each other. Ideally, your goal should be to get some early “wins” for those listed on your list.  Parts 1–4:  Mustang Leadership: Build Your Leadership Foundation (Part 1)Welcome to “Mustang Leadership,” a blog series that shares practical leadership advice and perspective for aspiring…medium.com Mustang Leadership: Follow Before You Lead (Part 2)Welcome back to “Mustang Leadership,” an engaging blog series where you will gain valuable insights and practical…medium.com Mustang Leadership: Stop Talking and Listen to Your People (Part 3)Quick and actionable tips that will make you a better listener and leader.medium.com Mustang Leadership: Establishing Clear Focus for Your Team (Part 4)If everything is a priority, then nothing is.medium.com Conclusion Okay, ground pounders, today we talked about the importance of “Up & Out” leadership and how it can benefit your team and organization. The further you progress in your leadership journey the more it revolves around thinking “big picture”. Ground pounding is simply one step of breaking down siloes to get your team marching forward.  Hope this was value-added. Let me know what you think! Brandon

by Brandon Seyl

Unpacking the Pitfalls of Teams Without Ownership: Understanding the Root Causes

What causes a team to need more ownership? We often hear about teams or people that exhibit significant ownership, but very little is said about the opposite.  Photo by Ono Kosuki at pexels.com Ownership is critical to effective teamwork and a unit's success. When a team lacks ownership, productivity wanes, motivation fades, and the chances of winning diminish. The absence of ownership within a team can be likened to a ship adrift without a captain, lost in a sea of ambiguity and disarray.  True leaders understand that ownership is not about control but empowerment and inspiration. — Simon Sinek I love this quote from Simon Sinek because ownership is 100% about empowering those closest to the problem. It’s not about boosting your ego or making you feel necessary.  Photo by Christina Morillo at pexels.com But what would cause a team to lack ownership in the first place?  What underlying issues plague group dynamics and hinder progress or collaboration?  In today’s post, I’ll share some of the underlying symptoms and reasons why teams lack a culture of ownership.  What is Ownership? In the team context, ownership means an individual or collective commitment to taking initiative, making decisions, driving progress, and ensuring the success of the shared goals and objectives.  For lack of better words, someone or a team of people sees something within their control and improves the situation.  Units or people with high ownership — don’t wait to be told what to do.  They are Proactive.  Have a willingness to assume responsibilities.  Have a sense of pride and dedication toward fulfilling one’s duties and obligations.  Root Causes for Lack of Ownership: 1. Ambiguous Goals and Objectives: Clarity breeds ownership, while ambiguity creates detachment and apathy within a team. A team needing more ownership typically stems from a need for clear direction, goals, or objectives.  In my experience, I have seen leaders so focused on meeting their supervisor's expectations and goals that they abandon their folk's development. This is problematic as subordinates need a clear purpose or will become demoralized quickly.  Photo by Skitterphoto at pexels.com The bottom line is that people need goals and objectives to thrive. As a leader, you must guide them toward accomplishing their goals. If they lack ownership, be persistent in granting them the required authority.  2. Absence of Accountability: Have you ever seen someone willingly raise their hand and accept accountability for a failure?  9 out of 10 times, it ends well for that person.  Any leader who accepts accountability of the people and equipment under their control creates an environment free from finger-pointing, defensiveness, shifting blame, or disengaging from their duties.  Photo by Andrea Piacquadio at pexels.com Leaders must set expectations and hold their personnel accountable. Too often, I see people giving multiple chances instead of enforcing strict standards and discipline. The problem is that everyone else also sees that an individual needs to be held accountable. This then becomes an issue that spreads like wildfire. 3. Poor Communication and Collaboration: Fragmented approach: Clear communication channels lead to understanding and collaboration. However, with clear communication, team members may collaborate, focusing solely on their tasks without considering the broader objectives of the team.  Photo by nappy at pexels.com Lack of Alignment: When communication is strained or ineffective, team members may have differing interpretations of goals, expectations, or priorities. This lack of alignment can lead to confusion, frustration, and a diminished sense of ownership as individuals struggle to understand their roles within the team’s collective efforts.  Lack of Trust: Do people trust each other? Is it a team of individuals? Are people communicating behind closed doors? Are they open and fully engaged?  4. Leadership Deficiencies: It’s tough to be a leader in the modern day. Everything you say or do is often criticized by those who know nothing about the weight of responsibility a leader carries.  But — there’s no denying that a leader is responsible for whether or not there is a culture of ownership.  When leaders fail to provide direction, support, or empower their team, they create a sense of disillusionment among team members.  Photo by cottonbro studio at pexels.com You will often find that ownership becomes a foreign concept, and individuals may feel disengaged from their roles.  5. Fear of Failure or Repercussions: This lack of ownership might also be rooted in the fear of failure or repercussions. If one is not bold in taking risks, innovating, or making independent decisions, one would refrain from taking ownership of tasks. Cultures of fear kill creativity, initiative, and ownership and encourage hesitancy and self-preservation. If you notice any of these underlying symptoms, you are likely in an environment that lacks ownership. The good news is that you can be the change that brings trust, accountability, and ownership back.  It won’t be easy. Cultures are deep-rooted and are often the result of years of neglect or deficiencies.  Regardless — it’s the right thing to do. Your folks will benefit from empowerment, and so will the overall organization.  Happy reading,  Brandon