Own Your Journey

I often encourage members of the AIA Community to own their own journey because I believe ownership and accountability are the bedrock of professional and personal success for each of us.

So what do I mean by “own your journey?” Owning your journey is about creating your own future, taking accountability when things go wrong, sharing credit when things go right – and learning from the experience no matter what. When we each own our own journeys, we not only make ourselves better – but we have a positive impact on our colleagues and communities. 

Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” I love this because it reminds us that we are not bystanders on the road to the future. We are in the driver’s seat. We have the ability to shape the future we want to see – if we’re willing to build the roadmap, take some test drives, learn from the speed bumps that jostle us around, and pave new pathways. 

• Taking accountability when things go wrong: Not every idea is a winning idea; not every strategy succeeds. There is something powerful in owning our mistakes – it shows the people around us that it’s okay to fail. 
• Sharing credit when things go right: I think most people would agree that it’s much more rewarding to work for leaders who recognize and value others’ contributions than it is to work for leaders who keep the spotlight on themselves. 
• Learning from every experience: At AIA, we are one community – Owners, Suppliers and Team. We share our successes – and our learnings. Leaders with a learning mindset are motivated to increase their competence and master new things. They are also persistent and adaptable – critical characteristics in today’s world. 

This is what it means to me to own my journey. What does owning your journey mean to you, and what behaviors do you prioritize to be the best version of you?