For my next topic on some of the tenets we tried to embed into our culture in the IT department of a former employer, I am going to cover "Sharing is Better than Owning".
Now, like our other cultural principles, this is not something invented by me or my peers. But, I want to give you my interpretation of it. Many others use it when talking about responsibility for getting things done, and that is important. But I want to talk about it in terms of avoiding territorial approaches to information.
To refresh from a previous article, saying that "A is better than B" does not mean that B is not important. An ownership mindset is essential at work. We all have to have ownership in the success of our companies. We have to care about it as much as our own personal decisions and successes. Are you making decisions about company resources that mirror how you use your own finances and property at home?
But beyond ownership, we need to share information, ideas, artifacts, and other products with our teams to make sure they can be as productive as possible. I think it is understandable to enjoy being "the go-to person" for a critical process. ("I'm the person that knows X.") Or to hold onto knowledge out of fear. ("They can't fire me because I'm the only one that maintains Y.") While sympathetic, these are examples of how territorial ownership can be a problem. You are more valuable if you can share that knowledge or code or process steps.
This involves community and teamwork, and it also involves systems to enable that collaboration. Most companies have these now or easy access to them, but I'll admit it is hard to remember to use them, especially when so busy trying to deliver on breakneck schedules. I'd encourage everyone to try and keep sharing in mind, though, as often in the long-term, it can give options to alleviate some of that busyness (maybe you'd have some relief if you weren't the only "go-to person").
So, own it, when you own it. But make sure others can own it when they need to. Sharing is better than owning.
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