One of my favorite corporate values speaks to accountability: “own the outcome.” At its core, it’s not just simply about taking responsibility, but about ensuring we achieve the desired results and holding ourselves accountable and delivering on our promises. It means taking initiative at every stage, all while mapping out the path to completion—whether we achieve success or not.

You may ask yourself, “Why is this important?” The answer is because owning the outcome actually leads to empowerment. It requires embodying a beginner’s mindset and always finding new opportunities to learn and develop, while proactively seeking solutions. The more engaged you are in the work you do, the more likely you are to deliver your best.

My first job was working at my family’s grocery store in Omaha, Nebraska. Whether it was working the register or stocking shelves, I learned so many valuable lessons about business and customer service that play a role in my decision making to this day as a CEO. For example, when a customer asked a question at the store, they needed and deserved an answer on the spot. My parents instilled in me the valuable lesson that the customers always come first. So when someone asked me a question, I simply couldn’t messagethem and say that “I will have an answer in a few hours.” I was accountable for an answer right then and there.

Similarly, when I worked at a call center in Omaha in college, I had to literally own the outcome for each call. Every call, even the irate ones, needed an immediate solution to a problem. Not later today. Not tomorrow. There was no “Let me circle back with you in a few days.” Now! I had to be prepared, empathetic, and focused on delivering results in real time.

Own the win

When you own the outcome, you also own the win. And that can be incredibly gratifying.Nothing beats knowing that you played a key role in delivering positive results for a customer and that your hard work and diligence paid off. But owning the outcome also means facing challenges head-on. It means solving problems, overcoming obstacles, and developing smart and strategic solutions while finding a path to success. It’s about going above and beyond. That’s what an owner does.

And why do we want to own the outcome? Because the customers deserve it. When you are in a business serving other businesses, owning the outcome means that their success is your success.By owning the outcome, you demonstrate your commitment to securing the results that will truly make an impact for your customers. After all, they deserve your best. They deserve the trust and loyalty that drives and fosters positive outcomes. They deserve your passion and grit that underscores why they partnered with you in the first place.When you own the outcome, your customers will know you are in this together.

What you do matters

As a CEO of a mission-driven worktech company, owning the outcome is in our DNA. Hard-working people depend on our service to make their lives better. We champion owning the outcome because we know that what we do matters. It matters to the users of our service and it matters to the many businesses that have entrusted us with serving their most precious asset—their employees.I will never forget those customers back in Omaha who depended on our grocery store for their everyday needs. We owned the outcome each day knowing we couldn’t let our community down. That sense of responsibility to our customers drives me to this day.