Yesterday something spilled at the Dollar Tree. A lady called over the only visible employee to alert him. His response was “that’s not my job.”
Now imagine being in an Apple store. If a few accessories fell off the shelf do you think any of the employees would have said “that’s not my job”?
There are a lot of factors at play here: culture, pay, training, respect. But they all contribute to the end goal of employees acting as owners.
I went to a Thai restaurant last night and it was obvious who the owner was. He cared more. He checked in on everyone and made sure the experience was great.
The ideal situation is that when something spills, it feels like everyone’s job. All employees are empowered and obligated to fix a mess. It’s not easy, but here’s a question worth pondering: How might help others feel a sense of ownership?