Cultivating Initiative: Beyond “Motivating Your Employees”
Leadership has long been centered on the pursuit of motivation and engagement. These concepts have become the beacon of managers striving to amplify their teams' potential: "How do I motivate my employees? How do I get them to engage more in their work?" While these questions have a place in team development, they might not be the only, nor the most important, queries to consider.
These motivation and engagement-centric questions reflect a somewhat control-based approach to leadership. The implicit assumption is that motivation and engagement are "inputs" to be manipulated or controlled by a leader. This mindset assumes that the leader has some sort of power to affect the team’s level of motivation.
You may be thinking, well of course that’s true! A good leader’s role is to inspire people to view their work differently and to foster an environment where everyone feels they offer value toward achieving the team’s goals - which contribute to motivation and engagement. However, I contend that this only captures half of the equation. Instead, if we shift our question to "How do we cultivate initiative in ourselves and others?" we begin to address the issue from a viewpoint that emphasizes character development. Character development is a personal endeavor, and while it's not solely the leader's responsibility to "instill motivation," the role of leadership should be about nurturing and fostering character growth within individuals.
Defining Initiative: A Character trait
Initiative is a character trait associated with the willingness to take action. It requires the ability to be pro-active and self-motivated. At its core, initiative is about taking responsibility without being handed that responsibility through a title or stated expectation. People with a strong sense of initiative don't wait for instructions or permission; they analyze a situation, identify what needs to be done, and take the necessary steps to accomplish it.
Cultivating Initiative in your team
What prevents people from taking initiative?
Fear of Failure: More than just the dread of falling short, the fear of failure often encompasses anxiety about the potential consequences that failure might bring. Acknowledging that most of us are naturally averse to failure, we can then explore strategies to create an environment where learning from mistakes is encouraged, rather than feared.
Lack of Recognition or Value for Ideas: If individuals feel their ideas are overlooked or undervalued, it can lead to reluctance in taking initiative. Consider how you respond when someone on your team shows initiative. Do you praise, ignore, or criticize? Understanding and addressing these dynamics can create an environment where team members feel encouraged to step up and contribute.
Limited Opportunity to Exercise Initiative: When a leader tightly controls the work environment or over-structures tasks, it may stifle creativity and make it challenging for team members to find the space to take initiative. Encouraging flexibility and fostering an atmosphere that welcomes novel approaches can help alleviate this barrier, allowing for individual initiative to thrive.
Defining the barriers to initiative helps us identify practices that foster initiative.
Reward Effort and Listen Actively: Acknowledge and celebrate your team's hard work, recognizing their dedication and commitment. Conversely, pay attention when effort seems to wane, as it may signal an underlying issue that needs addressing. Active listening and appreciation create an environment where initiative is nurtured and valued.
Embody the Desired Behavior: Lead by example by showcasing the initiative you wish to see in your team. Demonstrate that taking calculated risks, exploring innovative solutions, and acting autonomously are not only encouraged but are key attributes that you practice yourself. Your actions can inspire your team to emulate these behaviors.
Create flexible structures: While guidelines and structure are essential for organized work, incorporating flexibility allows team members to contribute their unique ideas and methods. Striking this balance between direction and creative freedom and ignite initiative, empowering individuals to take ownership of their work.
Perhaps most crucially, foster open communication about initiative. Encourage team members to share their perspectives on what initiative means to them and how it can be cultivated. Creating a dialogue around the development of initiative invites everyone on the team to participate actively in not only their personal growth but also the growth of their colleagues. This collaborative approach promotes a shared understanding and commitment to fostering initiative, building a stronger and more engaged team.
As leaders, it's time we shift our focus from controlling motivation and engagement to fostering an environment where each individual is focused on developing the character trait of initiative. It's not just about sparking motivation within our teams; it's about equipping them to take the reins, act autonomously, and become leaders in their own right.