Over the past year, I’ve heard multiple CEOs say the same thing:
“My management team doesn’t take enough ownership.”
A statement that often reveals exactly where the real friction lies. Not in motivation. Not in intelligence. But in leadership.
Because the bigger your organisation grows, the less you can keep doing everything yourself. And that’s precisely where the tension arises: you know you need to let go, but at the same time you feel results are slipping.
Ownership doesn’t happen by itself. It is the direct result of how you, as a leader, provide direction, create space, and manage tension.
What Do We Mean by ‘Ownership’?
Ownership means that people:
- Take responsibility for decisions and results on their own
- Feel accountable for the whole, not just their own domain
- Act without needing permission first
And that is exactly what requires something different from you as a CEO than in earlier stages of your company.
The 4 Steps to Greater Ownership in Your Management Team
1. Provide Direction – and Stick to It
Ownership requires clarity.
That means:
- Clear priorities
- A limited number of strategic choices
- One consistent narrative
Not a new course every month. Not a different focus every quarter. Without a steady direction, there is no accountability.
2. Create Space – Even When It’s Uncomfortable
Creating space means:
- Accepting that things will go differently than you would do them
- Allowing imperfection
- Parking your judgement
The moment you correct every deviation, your management team learns one thing: “Just leave it to the CEO.” And with that, ownership disappears.
3. Set the Bar – and Don’t Keep Moving It
Ownership thrives on predictability.
That means:
- A deal is a deal
- Being consistent in your expectations
- Not constantly changing the rules
Not being tougher. Being more consistent.
4. Make Tension Productive
Tension is part of leadership. Differences in pace, style, and perspective are not a problem – they’re essential.
The art is not to remove tension, but to make it manageable. The moment you smooth over all friction, you also remove accountability.
What Should You Stop Doing as a CEO?
The pitfalls are often closer than you think.
Stop:
- Being the ultimate decision-maker
- Constantly playing the rescuer
- Finding satisfaction in being indispensable
Ownership gets blocked the moment you – consciously or unconsciously – show that you’ll sort it out in the end anyway.
The best CEOs become less visible in operations and more tangible in direction, calm, and sharpness.
In Closing
The question is not whether your management team wants to take ownership. The real question is what behaviour you – perhaps unintentionally – are keeping in place.
If you want ownership to emerge, it starts with how you lead. Not by pulling harder, but by creating better conditions.
Do you recognise this in your management team?
We’d love to think with you about how ownership can grow – without you having to carry everything yourself.
