10/10/2025
Part 6:
"Ownership: Why I'll always admit when I don't know something"
But I'll never bluff and risk your project.
"I don't know, but I'll find out."
Five words that separate professionals from chancers.
Last month, I was asked to clean a heritage building with unusual stone cladding. The property manager expected instant answers about treatment, pressure settings, chemicals.
My response? "I've never worked with this specific stone. Give me 48 hours to research it and consult the manufacturer."
His reaction? Relief.
He'd already had two contractors give contradictory instant answers.
Here's what taking ownership means:
When I know something: I explain exactly what I'll do and why.
When I'm uncertain: I say so immediately and explain how I'll get the right answer.
When I make a mistake: I own it, fix it at my cost, change processes.
This costs me jobs sometimes. People want instant confidence, not honest uncertainty.
But it saves me from disasters.
Every building is different. Every surface has quirks. Pretending otherwise isn't confidence, it's arrogance.
And arrogance ruins projects.
