#0440 – Stop Managing People and Start Building Owners with Greg Hawks
Author: Jon S. Rennie
July 25, 2026
Duration: 37:15
Stop Managing People and Start Building Owners
Most leaders spend their careers trying to manage people. What if the real goal isn't better management... but building owners?
In this episode of the Deep Leadership podcast, I sit down with keynote speaker, leadership advisor, and bestselling author Greg Hawks to explore why ownership is the missing ingredient in so many organizations. Greg shares his powerful Owners, Renters, and Vandals framework and explains how leaders unintentionally create disengaged employees by limiting autonomy, discouraging contribution, and rewarding compliance over commitment.
We also discuss how great leaders unlock ownership through trust, accountability, meaningful recognition, and a culture where people think beyond their own department and begin acting in the best interest of the entire organization.
If you're a leader who wants to build a high-performing culture where people take initiative, solve problems, and genuinely care about the mission, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The difference between owners, renters, and vandals in the workplace
Why most employees start with an owner's mindset and what causes them to lose it
How leaders unintentionally create disengaged teams
Five practical ways to unlock ownership in your people
Why accountability is a gift, not a punishment
The power of specific recognition and intrinsic motivation
How to eliminate silos by helping leaders think "whole house" instead of protecting their own department
Why ownership is a mindset that transforms both leadership and life
Whether you lead a small business, a Fortune 500 team, a nonprofit, or you're preparing for your first leadership role, this conversation will challenge you to stop managing people and start building owners.
Connect with Greg Hawks :
Website: https://www.greghawks.com/
Book: https://amzn.to/4bbnwVc
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Sponsors:
Cadre of Men
Farrow Skin Care
Salty Sailor Coffee Company
Leader Connect
The Qualified Leadership Series
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