You Can’t Outsource Ownership | Ownership | Mindshift
Hello there! Welcome to my weekly LEAPS.
You’re receiving this email because you subscribed to my weekly Wednesday feature or our mailing list. Every Wednesday, I share 5 things using our LEAPS approach:
Learn: something new or an idea
Energy: an energy (good or bad) word and it’s meaning
Action: something to do
Processing: a question to consider
Shout out: something or someone that I want to celebrate or acknowledge
LEARN
Something Worth Sharing
You Can’t Outsource Ownership
I was chatting to my husband at the weekend about all the things people seem to be outsourcing these days.
We outsource all sorts of things. We outsource work to accountants, not because we can’t make a spreadsheet, but because we’d rather not face the wrath of HMRC. We outsource to lawyers because trying to understand every corner of the law isn’t a sensible use of our time. Advisers bring expertise we don’t have. Increasingly, things are being outsourced to AI to help us research, organise, create and think.
Knowing when to get help is a strength, but there are some things we can’t outsource.
Our judgement. Our decisions. Our responsibility. Our happiness. Our thinking.
That doesn’t stop some people trying, though.
I’ve seen many people look to someone else to make the difficult decision, so they don’t have to carry the consequences if it goes wrong. I’ve seen circumstances or other people blamed rather than someone taking responsibility for their own part in something. I’ve also seen people expect a partner, a job, money or success to make them happy. It even extends to asking other people what they think before stopping to work out what they think themselves.
Perhaps they don’t always realise they are doing it.
Of course, other people can inform us, challenge us, support us and offer ideas. Technology can make things faster and easier. But somewhere along the way, the answer has to come back to us.
An adviser can give you their view, but you live with the decision.
A coach can ask the question, but you have to answer it.
AI can generate the ideas, but you have to decide whether they are any good.
Someone can tell you what they would do, but they aren’t you.
And someone can add enormously to your happiness, but they cannot be responsible for creating it.
There’s a difference between getting help and handing over ownership. There is real skill in knowing which things can be outsourced and which must remain ours — and in embracing the difference. After all, you can’t outsource living your life.
ENERGY
Focusing on an emotion or energy; a stand-out word / s
Ownership
Ownership comes from the Old English agan: “to have, to own, to be in command of.” It shares its roots with owe.
By the late 1500s, own had also come to mean to acknowledge or admit something as fact, especially when it was to our disadvantage. Later came own up.
To own is not simply to possess. It is to acknowledge what is ours, accept our authority over it, and take responsibility for what we do next.
ACTION
Something small that you can do that might make a big difference
Bring It Back
Choose one thing you’ve been looking outside yourself to solve - something you’ve been outsourcing.
Gather the advice, ideas or information you need, then make your decision about what happens next.
PROCESSING
A question to think about and consider (you can discuss this with someone or write your thoughts down)
“What am I outsourcing that I need to own? And what am I owning that I need to outsource?”
Ownership isn’t doing everything yourself. Sometimes the most responsible thing you can do is recognise what is yours to own, and what is yours to hand over.
This question will be added to the Community Space in the Leapers Club for you to share your thoughts.
SHOUT OUT
Who / what I think deserves recognition, my gratitude or to be celebrated.
Resilience
Resilience isn’t built when everything is going well. It’s built in the struggles, setbacks and times that test us.
We adapt. We recover. We find another way. Sometimes we dig deep, sometimes we ask for help, and sometimes we discover strength we didn’t know we had.
So this week, I’m shouting out the resilience we build during the difficult times.
We may not choose the struggle, but we can own the strength we gain from it.
Are You Busy or Effective?
WHEN: Thursday 24th September
TIME: 12noon (BST)CLICK TO REGISTER
BONUS GIFT FOR YOU
This week’s little extra for you - from me.
This week’s gift is a particularly special one: my visual synopsis of Mindshift, created for my friend and the book’s author, Brian Solis. A brilliant exploration of how we rethink, adapt and change the way we see what’s possible.
This is available to you for free (for 7 days) using the code: NONORMAL when you check out. Access is via the link / button below.
Please note that if you miss the 7-day offer, we cannot extend this for you. You can, however, always access the download for a nominal charge.
The artwork featured in this section is all copyrighted and for private use only. If you wish to use these online, in blogs / features or in presentations etc - we are happy to discuss licences. Please get in touch. The downloads do not have watermarks.
If you’d like to discuss having your ideas, business or culture captured visually - you can also let me know via email.
Join The Leapers Club
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A private community space
Dedicated chat areas for focused conversations
Curated non-fiction book recommendations
Themed 90 day self-led Sets with online and downloadable Playbooks
L.E.A.P.S spaces to share your Learn, Energy word, Action, Processing, and Shout Out
Specialist sector Sets for teachers, family businesses, leadership development, and professional advisers (with many more to follow)
Check in quizzes to deepen reflection
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A simple way to identify where balance exists, where pressure may be building, and where conversations may be needed across a family business.
Complete the quick scorecard and receive a personalised PDF report.
LEAPS is a process used by our team and clients all the time - and even my own family on a daily basis.
I’ll be sharing a set of LEAPS each week with you and encourage you to do your own version:
L: what have you learned?
E: what’s your energy / feeling word
A: what’s one thing you need to do?
P: what are you thinking / processing?
S: who or what can you shout out?
