Elevating your coaching and mentorship mindset
In any leadership role—whether in business, sport, or service—success isn't just about strategy. It’s about mindset. One of the most powerful mindsets you can adopt as a coach or mentor is Total Ownership.
What Is Total Ownership?
Total Ownership is the principle of taking full responsibility—not just for your actions, but for outcomes, progress, and results. Popularised by former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink, it’s a mindset rooted in accountability, clarity, and relentless self-leadership.
But in coaching and mentoring, total ownership takes on a deeper, more transformational role. It’s not just about owning your responsibilities—it’s about helping others own theirs too.
Why It Matters in Coaching and Mentoring
When you're coaching or mentoring someone, your role isn’t to carry them. It’s to guide them, challenge them, and create space for them to grow. That growth starts when they begin to take full ownership of their decisions, behaviour, and development.
Total ownership means:
No blame. No excuses. It’s about owning the problem and driving the solution.
Leading by example. You demonstrate what accountability looks like, consistently.
Empowering independence. You help others move from dependence to autonomy.
Focusing on what you control. Not everything goes your way—but how you respond always can.
This mindset shifts the coaching relationship from reactive to proactive. It stops being about “fixing” and starts being about building.
How Coaches and Mentors Practise Total Ownership
Own the Relationship
You set the tone. That means showing up consistently, preparing fully, and being deeply present during sessions. You don't wait for the coachee to be engaged—you create the conditions for engagement.Set Clear Expectations
Mutual understanding around goals, accountability, and effort is crucial. Ownership starts with clarity.Ask More, Tell Less
Encourage the individual to explore solutions, reflect on actions, and commit to next steps. Let them own the journey, not just follow directions.Challenge Comfort Zones
Growth doesn’t happen in comfort. Part of taking ownership is being willing to step into discomfort—and you help create the safe space to do so.Reflect, Adapt, Improve
Total ownership isn’t perfection—it’s continuous improvement. Model self-reflection and encourage it in others.
Helping Others Develop Total Ownership
For those you mentor or coach, total ownership is a game-changer. It turns passive participation into active development. It helps them stop waiting for answers—and start creating them.
You’ll see:
Faster growth
Clearer decision-making
Greater resilience under pressure
More meaningful, sustained progress
But it takes consistent reinforcement. Ownership grows over time—with support, reflection, and challenge.
Final Thoughts: Responsibility is Power
Total Ownership isn't about control—it's about freedom. When you take full responsibility for your role as a coach or mentor, and help others do the same in their growth, you unlock the real power of development.
No excuses. No waiting. Just progress.
At CWC EDGE, we embed the principle of Total Ownership into every coaching and mentoring relationship. Because leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room—it’s about being the clearest, the most consistent, and the most accountable.
If you're ready to lead with clarity and own your growth—or help others do the same—get in touch. Your next level starts with ownership.
