Any job you do is going to "have your fingerprints all over it." That is why it is so important to take ownership of your job, any job you do, and really own it. Do it the best you can; do it the best it can be done. That is how you succeed.Passion for the JobThe article Passion Pays notes "when you are passionate about what you do, you do better and you enjoy it more" and explains how that pays off in increased success. Sometimes you can't be passionate about a job, but you can still take ownership. You can still own the job and do it well.Making A DifferenceThe people who get promoted are those whomake a difference. If there is no difference between what happens when you come to work and when you don't, why would anyone want to pay you?

One simple way to make a difference is to do any job you tackle the best it can be done. That is what taking ownership means. You may not be the best choice for a particular job, but once it is given to you it is up to you to get it done the best way possible.

If you do that, people will notice. And when they see you take ownership of every job you do, they will start to give you the jobs that are important to them. The more you do jobs that matter to your superiors, and do them well, the faster you will move ahead.

Passion, Energy, PrideWhen you are passionate about what you do, you have more energy. You care more about what you do. When you care more about what you do, you do it better and you can take pride in what you have done. When you are proud of what you have done, you are passionate about it. It is a cycle that feeds on itself and increases your capability.On the Other HandTry this. Don't take ownership of some job. Just slide through it. Take the easy way out. Let others do the work and sit back and take all the credit when it is done.

Do you think that job will be done well? Do you think upper management is going to be looking for the person who did that job so they can put him/her in charge of the next job? Or when the next layoff comes will that person be on the list of expendable people?

Don't kid yourself. Every job you do has your "signature" on it. People know who did it.

Bottom LineYou want the work you do to be something to be proud of. You want the jobs you take on to help your career, not hold you back. So go above and beyond and really take ownership of every job you do. You will feel better for having done that. And others will notice.

You don't want the Vice President to tell Human Resources, "We can let (your name here) go. He/she never does much anyway." Instead, at the next company meeting, you want the CEO to stand up and say "and special thanks to (your name here) for that great job on the xx project." That is a big step on the way from first time manager to CEO.