When I talk about social media strategy, one question I’ve begun challenging the audience to answer is, “Who is going to own our social media efforts?” I explain that this doesn’t have to be the person who does all the blogging, tweeting, Like-ing, and so forth — it’s the person who makes sure all of that happens when and how it’s supposed to happen. They own it.
Why is this important? Well, in my experience, tasks that aren’t owned are left undone, and projects that aren’t owned are left to die. If a task or project is important, it has to be owned by an individual or a small group.
The way I see it, this can turn out one of four ways. Either:
- no one owns it
- the wrong person owns it
- the right person owns it at the wrong time (because he/she owns too many other concurrent initiatives)
- the right person owns it at the right time.
Of course, the fourth scenario is the ideal: the right person owns it at the right time. The right person will certainly face challenges in execution, but hopefully he/she is best equipped to navigate those challenges. This begs the question — who is the right person? In my admittedly limited experience, I think the right owner is someone who is:
• Passionate about or, at the very least, committed to the project.
• Accountable for deadlines (work done on time), quality (work done well), and outcomes (results of the work) associated with the project.
• Communicative with leadership and team members in terms of sharing progress, coordinating efforts, and rallying support when appropriate.
Note: The owner is the executor, not necessarily the visionary. True, they can be one and the same, but often the owner and visionary are two different parties. It’s important to know which scenario you’re in—are you designing the house of your dreams from scratch, or are you building it from someone else’s blueprints? In either case, you’re the builder, but for the sake of planning, communication, and egos, determine whose vision you’re working from.
Look at your life and your organization. Is there a task or project suffering from a lack of ownership? Are you the right person to grab the bull by the horns? If so, do it. If the initiative is important to your life or organization, then you’ll be better off when the work gets done.
On top of that, the process and practice of ownership is good for us. Don’t we all want to become more passionate, accountable, and communicative? Don’t we all want to get things done? Don’t we all want to be people who make and people who make a difference?
I think so, and I’m convinced that ownership is the way to get there.
