Last week I was chatting with a girlfriend who was incredibly frustrated about a particular team member she managed.
According to my friend’s view of the situation, the story transpired that the individual in question had zero initiative. Various ‘things’ required handling in a particular workflow, and someone needed to grasp the situation and work out a process to rectify the issue.
My friend ‘expected’ her team member to be more proactive and take the initiative; rather than expecting her to fix what was wrong.
Sound familiar?
I expect it does, as the challenge of building teams with individuals who responsibly demonstrate initiative is a debate, I constantly hear in organisations we train across the globe.
As leaders, we all appreciate the benefit of having team members around us who take the initiative and handle situations seamlessly without moving into victim mode.
These individuals cultivate the attitude of success and what a difference it makes in how teams and organisations perform.
So how can you develop a culture where taking the initiative responsibly is encouraged?
Let’s start with some definitions.
What is Responsible Initiative?
Doris Fay and Michael Frese completed the initial work over twenty years ago on personal initiative in 2001, followed by Grant and Ashford in 2008. Both groups outlined definitions of behaviours and how important it is to encourage initiative that aligns with organisational goals and values.
Personal initiative can be defined as a behavioural marker that results in an individual being a self-starter who takes an active approach to work goals, objectives, and tasks. This individual also persists in overcoming barriers and setbacks along the way.
Interestingly one of the consequences of such an active approach is that the individual changes the environment, if even slightly.
This is in contrast to a passive approach when team members wait for instruction which is often characterised by doing what they are told to do and giving up in the face of difficulties.
Personal initiative is a critical concept. Over twenty years ago, the research rightly predicted that it would become more important as workplaces required more employee self-reliance.
How fascinating that the increased requirement for self-initiative was predicated pre the change in how we work post the pandemic.
Taking this into account, how can you plan to move forward?
Start With The End in Mind
In the words of Stephen Covey in his ground breaking seven habits leadership book, it is important to start with the end in mind, which he defines as habit three.
What will it look, sound and feel like if you want to develop a culture across your organisation where your employees are encouraged to take the initiative?
- During your hiring process, how will you recruit against this trait?
- What will you include in the job description and subsequent onboarding process?
- Where are the opportunities for people to be proactive, how can you create more, and what framework will you use?
As a first start, what identifies the employee with initiative, and what suggestions can you make to ensure others develop this habit too?
Responsible Initiative in Action: What To Look Out For
I am sure you know who in your team takes the initiative, though it is key also to highlight the specific behaviours we are looking for.
How many people in your team currently demonstrate these behaviours?
They rarely wait to be told what to do because they think on their feet and take the relevant action.
They are flexible and confident and think ahead to what might be required rather than reactive to clear up an issue after the event.
These individuals initiate and innovate, which helps to drive organisations to even greater success.
A leader I spoke to recently shared how one team member managed a particular project aligned with a specific clinical trial.
Without being asked, the individual in question mapped out a process and designed a standard operating procedure with frameworks and training videos stored on the main virtual server so all his colleagues could access this in different time zones.
As a result, each team member is now implementing this process consistently.
An on-point example of responsible initiative in action.
Setting Initiative Frameworks to Follow
As we have shared multiple times on the Zestfor website, communication is key. Share these steps as a starting point to what taking responsible initiative involves.
- Be curious and find out what you need to know.
- Think through the possible outcomes of a process and then formulate a response ahead of time.
- Anticipate future demands and prepare for them.
- Have a process to overcome barriers.
- Persevere even when things get difficult because you believe in the idea.
- Act as a role model for other team members who, in turn, must take the initiative.
With encouragement and guidance, more members of your team will take a proactive approach. First, enable them to recognise where initiative opportunities arise in your work environment so they can be proactive in overcoming obstacles and issues.
This is part of understanding all aspects of their job role, how the team work together and the companies, mission, values, and goals.
Encouraging curiosity is key, and no doubt this is why several organisations Zestfor work with have curiosity as one of their values.
Suggest they brainstorm with other team members to get their view on how a different approach would work; they might have additional information to help create an even better outcome.
Helping your team becoming aware of how the organisation works enable them to create new and novel approaches to solve problems and bottlenecks.
Creating this culture shift will take work; however, the rewards can be exceptional.
Until next time,
Julia
About Zestfor
Zestfor specialises in developing leadership Training programs and resources scientifically tailored for technical markets – including Pharmaceutical, I.T., and Life Sciences.
Our blend of in-classroom, online, and virtual live-stream delivery methods will engage and assure even the most introverted team members from the first meeting. Let us arrange a brief chat; call us at 0845 548 0833.
