FRUSTRATION, CERTAINTY, AND THE COST OF NOT OWNING IT

This is Part 2 of my review of my word of the year phrase, “Own It!”  If you missed Part 1,

consider going back and reading it to set the foundation for the phrase that sets my perspective not only for me, but also in how I serve others!

“Own It!” is not just a motivational phrase for me—it is a leadership standard.

And like any standard, frustration arises when it is not met. That frustration shows up in two primary ways: when I fail to own it myself, and when the people I am serving lack the certainty they need from me in order to own it themselves.

When I fail to own it myself

When I do not fully own it, the breakdown usually isn’t effort—it’s clarity. I may be moving fast, but not clearly. I may be decisive, but not well-communicated. In those moments, my competitiveness works against me. I assume alignment instead of ensuring it. I push forward without confirming understanding.

The result? Confusion. Resistance. Frustration—on both sides.

Owning it requires more than confidence. It requires responsibility. It means I must slow down just enough to bring others with me, even when every instinct in my body says to accelerate.

When those I serve do not own it

The root cause is often not unwillingness—it is uncertainty. People rarely commit fully when they are unclear about direction, expectations, or outcomes. If I have not provided enough certainty, I have not truly owned my role as a leader. Certainty is not arrogance. Certainty is clarity.

People need to know where we are going, why it matters, and what winning looks like. Without that, they hesitate. They hedge. They wait. And waiting feels like resistance to someone wired like me.

Here is the hard truth I continue to learn:

If others are not owning it, I must first ask whether I have.

Have I clearly defined the destination? Have I communicated expectations in a way they can internalize? Have I created enough belief for them to move forward confidently? Momentum is powerful, but it must be shared. A leader moving fast alone is not leading—it’s just running.

Owning it, therefore, carries dual responsibility.

I must own my decisions, my direction, and my communication. And I must create enough certainty that others feel safe—and inspired—enough to own it alongside me. When that happens, frustration fades. Momentum multiplies. And competition shifts from me versus the obstacle, to us versus the challenge.

That is the version of “Own It!” I am committed to living this year—not just with intensity, but with intention. And yes…with an exclamation point.

Consider joining me on this journey to “Own It!”

Brian