Own Your Zone: Become the Hero of Your Role

You gotta own it—own your job. And that doesn’t just mean doing what’s in your job description. It means looking at the bigger picture, seeing what needs to get done, and making it happen. It means writing up procedures for what you do so that if you’re out sick tomorrow, things don’t fall apart. Owning your job means taking responsibility for the outcomes—you can’t just say, Well, I was sick, so I couldn’t do it.

Nope. That’s not how it works. You have to step up, take ownership, and handle everything that comes with the role—including documenting processes, creating checklists, and making sure the people around you are cross-trained. And if you’re thinking, I’d never train someone else to do what I do—this is my job security! let me tell you, that mindset is working against you. If you don’t share knowledge, if you’re not a team player, someone higher up is already noticing—and not in a good way.

Owning your job means that if something breaks down, you don’t just stand there and say, Well, no one told me how to fix it, so I didn’t. That’s playing the victim, and that’s the opposite of ownership.

Instead, figure out what you’re responsible for and find the best, most efficient ways to get it done. Go above and beyond. Document your processes, create checklists, and make sure your supervisor and teammates know where to find them. When you do that, opportunities at a higher pay level will come your way.

But if you hold all your knowledge tight to your chest, thinking, This is my job. I’ll never teach anyone, and they’ll sure miss me when I’m out!—well, they will miss you, but not because you’re out sick. They’ll miss you because you’re not there anymore.

Owning your job means taking full responsibility for its outcomes. And you know what? Winning is fun. So step in and make it happen!


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