There is a massive difference.
Hirelings…
- need someone else to tell them what to do—for everything
- blame their boss when something goes wrong
- stay in the their lane, get the job done, and go home
- spend the company’s money freely
- have as their primary goal making a good impression on their boss or peers
Owners…
- take initiative as much as possible (and it is possible 98% of the time)
- accept responsibility when something goes wrong; wonder how they could improve next time
- show up early, work harder than most, actively think about how to improve things
- steward company dollars wisely; care about the company’s profits
- have as their primary goal making the company as successful as possible
As an employee, you can be a hireling or an owner. It all depends on where you think the buck stops.
A 2015 survey by Gallup showed that “50.8% of employees were ‘not engaged,’ while another 17.2% were ‘actively disengaged.'”
I wonder what engagement would be like if all employees saw themselves as an owner.
In my opinion, every person should know what it’s like to be a freelancer or entrepreneur for at least a little while. That is, they should experience a direct connection between their output and their income. It would expose a shocking amount of waste.
Nate Pfeil's Blog 