Guest Speaker: Andy Beckman
I am a technical leader with a variety of responsibilities. In October 2023, I was invited to be the special guest speaker at the 138th Basic Corrections Academy graduation ceremony held by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). I serve on Sheriff McGuffey’s Command Staff as Chief Technology Officer. I felt honored to receive the invitation.
Hamilton County is located in Ohio, and it surrounds the city of Cincinnati. It is the third most populous county in Ohio, following Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) and Franklin County (Columbus).
The brave men and women of the HCSO do an outstanding job. These graduating recruits were starting their career, and I wanted to provide some wisdom that has served me well throughout my career.
Take Ownership
“Thank you, Lt. Hensley.
First, let me say that I am flattered and humbled to be here tonight. This isn’t an opportunity that an “IT Guy” gets on a regular basis. So thank you.
I spent a lot of time this week thinking about what I should say tonight. I’m a Chief Technology Officer. What GRAND piece of advice or wisdom could I offer a Corrections Officer?
We are surrounded by individuals who have worked their whole careers in Corrections and Law Enforcement and are way better qualified than I am on the subject.
I’ll leave that advice to them.
So, I thought I could offer you something a little more universal. Something that applies in every career, every job, and every industry.
I can almost guarantee that this bit of advice is the single most important thing that any supervisor or leader in this, or ANY organization, is looking for from a team member.
It’s this: TAKE OWNERSHIP.
Take complete ownership of your role. When responsible for a task, don’t just do “good enough.” Complete that task, no matter how mundane. Complete it like it is part of your job interview.
Because it is. On several levels.
If you’re asked to handle some mundane task? OWN IT, take responsibility for it, and do it really well. Do it the best it’s been done in a long time.
If you’re asked to take care of something that someone else was supposed to do? That person missed their opportunity to OWN IT. You say ABSOLUTELY and crush it.
If you’re asked to take care of something you’ve never been trained on or have never done before? Hop in, use good judgment, figure it out, and GET. IT. DONE.
It doesn’t matter what it is. You OWN IT.
Why?
Why is ownership important?
“But it’s just some boring thing I was asked to do. Why can’t I half-ass it? It doesn’t matter.”
Wrong.
I’ll tell you why. It’s about TRUST.
You need to SHOW your supervisors AND peers that they can trust you.
You can’t just tell them. You have to SHOW them.
If WE can’t be trusted to own the boring but easy task, how can we be trusted to own the more challenging, more important stuff?
If WE can’t be trusted to follow a procedure correctly, how can we be trusted to pay attention to critical details that may prevent injury?
Let me pose this.
At some point in your career, your duty may require you to enter a cell with an inmate who does not want you there.
Who do you want with you? Who do you want to have your back?
You want the Corrections Officer that TAKES OWNERSHIP.
Because you TRUST that they are going to get it done right.
They’ve shown it time and time again. They showed it with the boring stuff that nobody else would do. They took ownership.
That’s who you want to have your back.
THAT’S. WHO. YOU. WANT. TO. BE.
Go be that person. Go be that Corrections Officer.
TAKE. OWNERSHIP.
If you take ownership, YOU. WILL. BE. SUCCESSFUL. IN. YOUR. CAREER. AND. PERSONAL. LIFE.
Ownership matters.
So thank you.
Thank you for the responsibilities you will have.
Thank you for the important work you do.
And Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
CONGRATULATIONS on your accomplishments.
And WELCOME to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
Thank you.
