Owning It
By Mitch Roschelle
Where do I come up with my best ideas? I fly a lot, so it’s often while sitting on an airplane. (I also have some big ideas while taking a shower. But to avoid any awkward imagery, you can take comfort in knowing that the inspiration for this post was hatched on a plane.)
Before takeoff on a flight home several years ago, we were experiencing some sort of lengthy delay. Per usual. The pilot came on the PA system to explain why we had been sitting on the tarmac for an hour plus, not moving, and for no apparent reason. He started with the typical “this is your captain speaking,” so I was ready to just tune it out.
But instead of the obligatory spin, double-talk and disinformation, the pilot kept it refreshingly real. He said, “We have no idea why we are here. Ground control and the tower have not given us a reason, despite my many requests for an explanation.” He went on to promise that he wasn’t going to lie to us or make excuses. Acknowledging that our collective time was valuable, he called the delay “inexcusable” and concluded that he personally “accepted full responsibility.”
Wow! I thought. Did a pilot just do that?
The pilot then retreated to the cockpit to literally yell at the tower (I could hear it), and we got moving soon thereafter. While deplaning, I spoke to the captain and thanked him for his honesty. He replied that he owned the obligation for getting us home, not only safely, but on time. That was the first time I recall hearing someone use the verb to own that way, and it stuck with me.
In this era of full transparency, when people post nearly every meal they eat, share pictures of their report cards, and offer up their awful high school pictures in the name of #TBT, social media is littered with our most intimate moments. This abundance of transparency creates an unquenchable demand for authenticity in nearly all aspects of life.
Simply put, you just can’t fake it anymore.
But the cost of transparency is full accountability. We simply can’t have one without the other. If you share it, you have to own the outcome.
How does this play out in the workplace? In my day job, I coach teams in pursuit of new business. I’m the behind-the-scenes guy who preps the team before the big pitch. I see all types, from the smooth-talking salesperson to the extremely uncomfortable technician who can’t make eye contact and breaks out in a flop sweat at the mere thought of speaking in public. Believe me, I’m no magician — I can’t wave a wand and turn someone into an orator — so rather than running away from the challenge, I embrace it.
I explain: If you are not comfortable speaking in public, own your discomfort. Don’t try to hide it or overcompensate. Take your awkwardness and make it an asset. Over time, businesspeople have become somewhat homogeneous in their speech. You know the drill: corporate speak, catchphrases, quoting the WSJ or HBR. A different tone — even if it’s not the most polished — will stand out. In the end, the audience will always remember your honesty and authenticity. Who knows? They may even empathize with the awkwardness. But you have to own it!
We are who we are, and who we are is now judged by a different set of standards. Still, some go at it “old school” and keep their cards close to their chest. But if you subscribe to the new normal of transparency, you should own who you are.
No one is perfect, so why hide the flaws? Instead, embrace them. They just might end up being your competitive advantage.
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About the Author: Mitch Roschelle is a partner at PwC based in New York City. He currently serves as one of the Firm’s business development leaders. Throughout his three-plus decades with PwC, he has held a variety of leadership positions, including founder of their real estate advisory practice. He serves as a board member for several nonprofits, including PENCIL, Venture for America and the PwC Charitable Foundation.
