Is “Ownership Vacuum” a Thing?

Question

Sometimes an organization has a part of the process that no one is responsible for.More accurately, there's no one person that is both held responsible and empowered to make sure that part of the process works.By analogy to "power vacuum", it's tempting to call this pattern an "ownership vacuum".Is there a more common term?

jimmySixDOF · Accepted Answer

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

s1t5 · Answer

> By analogy to "power vacuum", it's tempting to call this pattern an "ownership vacuum".It doesn't work that well. Power vacuum is called that way because there's a tendency for the vacuum to be filled by anyone as soon as possible. On the other hand, lack of ownership in a company can persist for much longer if left alone.

aspenmayer · Answer

It seems like it could be explored, but it seems that it&rsquo;s more of an inability to successfully petition for the time, money, expertise necessary, as well a possible lack in initiative, leadership, and responsibility to take on these tasks and projects.Seek responsibility, not power.

duxup · Answer

The events are sure common.After a contractor failed to complete a program to update and combine numerous IT resources for numerous departments the state of Minnesota brought a program called MNLARS in house.Among the failures that ended up being super costly, there was nobody really in charge of the whole program, and many people who were decision makers didn't even know work was waiting on them making decisions / they didn't even know they had the power to make those decisions. In short nobody was at the wheel...I don't know if there is a very clear term for that, but I really like your "ownership vacuum".

rdtwo · Answer

This is super common when there are important tasks that get little visibility unless failed. From an individual perspective it&rsquo;s almost always better to let the failure occur blame someone else for the failure and sweep in to save the day than to do minimal prevention to keep failure from occurring.This is almost always a result of an institution failing to reward folks for doing routine maintenance tasks and only providing incentives for new stuff.

codingdave · Answer

"Bad management"?Seriously, somebody must be over that process, even the CEO if nobody else will claim it. They either need to handle it, or delegate it to someone to handle. If there is a vacuum, accountability rolls up to the leader.

impendia · Answer

For two summers between college years, I waited tables at a Pizza Hut. The restaurant did a thriving dine-in, delivery, and take-out business.With only rare exceptions, it was nobody's job to answer the phone. During busy periods, it would ring and ring and ring.

tmaly · Answer

I am not sure if it is called that, but I see the concept everyday.I think it does come down to communication and management.

Is “Ownership Vacuum” a Thing?

It seems like it could be explored, but it seems that it’s more of an inability to successfully petition for the time, money, expertise necessary, as well a possible lack in initiative, leadership, and responsibility to take on these tasks and projects.
Seek responsibility, not power.

"Bad management"?
Seriously, somebody must be over that process, even the CEO if nobody else will claim it. They either need to handle it, or delegate it to someone to handle. If there is a vacuum, accountability rolls up to the leader.

For two summers between college years, I waited tables at a Pizza Hut. The restaurant did a thriving dine-in, delivery, and take-out business.
With only rare exceptions, it was nobody's job to answer the phone. During busy periods, it would ring and ring and ring.

I am not sure if it is called that, but I see the concept everyday.
I think it does come down to communication and management.