{"id":32786,"date":"2016-05-04T04:45:14","date_gmt":"2016-05-04T09:45:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelhyatt.com\/?p=32786"},"modified":"2016-05-04T04:45:14","modified_gmt":"2016-05-04T09:45:14","slug":"get-your-team-to-take-more-initiative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullfocus.co\/get-your-team-to-take-more-initiative\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Ways to Get Your Team to Take More Initiative"},"content":{"rendered":"

Self-starters who take action and get things done are essential to any effective organization. But what are you supposed to do if your teammates don\u2019t show initiative?<\/p>\n\n

I was recently talking with a friend. He was frustrated his employees didn\u2019t take enough initiative. The lack was really affecting his business. The problem was he blamed them and acted like he was powerless\u2014like he was the victim.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t believe that. And the more I thought about his situation, the more clear it became how to turn it around.<\/p>\n\n

If you\u2019re a leader who needs to get your teammates to take more initiative, I suggest these seven ways.<\/p>\n

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  1. Model initiative yourself.<\/strong> \u201cWhat is it about your leadership that led to this outcome?\u201d It\u2019s one of the most important questions<\/a> anyone has ever asked me. Why? Team leadership begins with self leadership, and it\u2019s hard to insist on traits we don\u2019t embody.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  2. Hire and screen for initiative.<\/strong> On my team we call this infectious enthusiasm<\/a>\u2014and we won\u2019t bring anybody aboard who doesn\u2019t have it. We\u2019re all used to screening for talent, aptitude, and experience. This is actually more important. And there\u2019s a corollary to this one: Consider showing can\u2019t-do people<\/a> the door<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
  3. \n

    Share your expectations about initiative.<\/strong> Nobody can read your mind. I know\u2014as a leader this sometimes bums me out, too. But it\u2019s the truth, and that\u2019s why leaders can\u2019t over-communicate on this point. It\u2019s useless holding people to standards you don\u2019t set for them. If you want something, let people know<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    Make it one of your core values.<\/strong> How important is initiative to you, really? Core values are the DNA of an organization. They shape, direct, and replicate. But here\u2019s the reality: If taking initiative isn\u2019t truly critical for you, it won\u2019t become critical for your team either.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  5. \n

    Affirm initiative in real time.<\/strong> You get more of what you encourage. When you have teammates who take initiative, lift them up then and there. And do it publicly. Let people know this is a quality that gets you excited, that it\u2019s something central to the success of the team and something you\u2019re actively looking for.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  6. \n

    Reward initiative on a regular basis.<\/strong> It\u2019s important to do more than recognizing initiative in the moment. It\u2019s also important to encourage it long-term. Regular rewards are a great way to do that. These motivators<\/a> can be extrinsic (such as yearly bonuses) or intrinsic (such as greater opportunities for growth and advancement).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  7. \n

    Give people room to make mistakes.<\/strong> I don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019ve met very few perfect people in my lifetime. I can count them on no hands. The reality is that everybody makes mistakes. We\u2019re all loss averse to one degree or another. What that means is if you punish mistakes you\u2019ll encourage people to not take risks. Kiss initiative goodbye. If you give the right people room to make mistakes, they\u2019ll learn how to take better risks.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\t\t