I quit

The difference ownership can make

“I walked into her office and quit”

“What do you mean you quit?” my Dad said looking up from the table.

“I quit - i don’t wan’t to spend my life rotting in a cubicle. I hate it”

“Well at least go talk to her about what you don’t like”

I was fresh out of college and was completely broke after spending the summer driving around the country camping at national parks. I was excited to start my career and was able to get a job in the marketing department at Sennheiser, the microphone company.

I was pumped, and even though I was only making $28,000 a year - I thought I was rich.

After getting through the first week of onboarding my first real projects started to come through. I was finally going to get to do some marketing.

But the problem is they weren’t projects. They were random tasks without context.

• Go update these spreadsheets with these numbers

• Update these slides

• Contact the printer and get this new collateral printed for the tradeshow

Okay I thought this must just be to get me up to speed on how things work. But 3 months had gone by and that’s all I was still doing.

I was a glorified task rabbit. I was miserable.

When I told this to Stephanie, the CMO at the time, she stepped in and made sure over the next 30 days they were giving me projects I could actually own instead of tasks.

I agreed to give it another 30 days.

30 days turned into 2 and a half years at a job I loved, in that same cubicle that at first felt like a prison.

The core difference? Ownership.

When you feel ownership over your work, it changes everything.

It helps you see the bigger picture and understand how your efforts contribute to the overall goals of the company. You're not just updating a spreadsheet or making a call; you're part of a team working towards something bigger. This sense of ownership makes you more invested, more engaged, and more willing to go the extra mile.

It also empowers you to make improvements. When you own a project, you care about its outcome and want to see it succeed. You're more likely to come up with ideas to make it better, more efficient, and more impactful. You stop being a passive participant and become an active contributor.

As a leader, fostering this sense of ownership in your team is crucial.

It transforms employees from task-doers to proactive problem-solvers who are motivated by more than just a paycheck. They become advocates for your vision and champions for your goals.

So, if you want to build a team that’s driven, innovative, and deeply connected to your mission, give them ownership.

Trust them with projects that matter.

Let them see how their work fits into the larger puzzle. It’s a game-changer.