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 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 on personal initiative in 2001, followed by Grant and Ashford in 20081ational 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 contrasts with a passive approach when team members wait for instruction, which is often characterised by doing what they’re 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 predicted before the change in how we work post-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 groundbreaking seven habits leadership book, it’s important to start with the end in mind2.
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?
Consider these questions:
- 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
You probably know who in your team takes the initiative, though it’s key to highlight the specific behaviours you’re looking for.
What To Look Out For
Individuals who demonstrate responsible initiative rarely wait to be told what to do because they think on their feet and take the relevant action. They’re flexible and confident and think ahead to what might be required rather than being reactive to clear up an issue after the event. These individuals initiate and innovate, which helps 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 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
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. Encourage questions and exploration rather than assumptions. Curiosity drives innovation and helps team members understand the broader context of their work.
Think through the possible outcomes of a process and then formulate a response ahead of time. Strategic thinking prevents reactive firefighting and enables more effective solutions.
Anticipate future demands and prepare for them. Forward-thinking behaviour allows teams to stay ahead of challenges rather than constantly playing catch-up.
Have a process to overcome barriers. Systematic approaches to problem-solving ensure consistency and reduce frustration when obstacles arise.
Persevere even when things get difficult because you believe in the idea. Resilience distinguishes those who deliver meaningful change from those who give up at the first hurdle.
Act as a role model for other team members who, in turn, must take the initiative. Leadership by example creates ripple effects throughout organisations.
Encouraging Initiative in Your Team
With encouragement and guidance, more members of your team will take a proactive approach. Enable them to recognise where initiative opportunities arise in your work environment so they can be proactive in overcoming obstacles and issues.
This comes from understanding all aspects of their job role, how the team works together, and the company’s mission, values, and goals. Encouraging curiosity is key, and no doubt this is why several organisations we work with have curiosity as one of their values.
Collaborative Development
Suggest team members brainstorm with colleagues to get their views on how a different approach would work. They might have additional information to help create an even better outcome. Helping your team become aware of how the organisation works enables them to create new and novel approaches to solve problems and bottlenecks.
Implementation Strategies
Recruitment and Onboarding
Integrate initiative assessment into your hiring process by including behavioural questions that reveal proactive thinking. Assess problem-solving approaches during interviews and establish clear expectations about autonomous working during onboarding.
Provide comprehensive role context so new team members understand where they can take initiative and where they need approval. This clarity prevents both paralysis and overstepping boundaries.
Training and Development
Focus development programmes on building confidence in decision-making, developing strategic thinking capabilities, and enhancing communication and collaboration skills. Create frameworks for systematic problem-solving that team members can apply across different situations.
Provide mentoring programmes pairing experienced staff with those developing their initiative skills. Regular feedback and coaching sessions help build confidence and competence simultaneously.
Recognition and Reinforcement
Establish metrics that capture initiative behaviours such as tracking process improvements initiated by team members, measuring problem resolution speed and effectiveness, and monitoring cross-team collaboration frequency.
Celebrate successful initiatives publicly to reinforce the desired culture. Equally important, create psychological safety where unsuccessful attempts are viewed as learning opportunities rather than failures to be punished.
Overcoming Common Challenges
Some organisations resist initiative-taking due to concerns about control and consistency. Address this by establishing clear boundaries for autonomous action and creating approval processes for significant changes. The key is finding the balance between empowerment and appropriate oversight.
Busy teams may struggle to find time for proactive work. Solutions include allocating specific time for innovation activities and prioritising initiative projects alongside regular duties. When initiative work receives recognition in performance evaluations, team members understand its importance.
Creating this culture shift will take work; however, the rewards can be exceptional. Teams that embrace responsible initiative demonstrate higher engagement, solve problems more efficiently, and create more innovative solutions than those waiting for constant direction.
Frequently Asked Questions About Responsible Initiative
Building a Proactive Team Culture
Cultivating a culture of responsible initiative transforms how teams operate and delivers significant benefits for both individuals and organisations. When team members feel empowered to take ownership of challenges, think strategically about solutions, and act proactively rather than reactively, performance improves dramatically.
The journey requires clear frameworks, consistent communication, appropriate support, and patience as behaviours shift. Start by assessing your current team dynamics and identifying key opportunity areas where initiative can make meaningful differences. Implement structured approaches that provide guidance whilst creating space for autonomous action.
Remember that initiative thrives in environments where curiosity is encouraged, mistakes are treated as learning opportunities, and success is celebrated publicly. The investment in building this culture pays dividends through improved problem-solving, increased innovation, and higher engagement levels across your team.
Your role as a leader is to create the conditions where responsible initiative flourishes – establishing clear boundaries, providing necessary resources, offering appropriate support, and modelling the proactive behaviour you want to see. When you get this balance right, you’ll build teams that don’t just respond to challenges but anticipate and prevent them.