“WE WANT MORE PEOPLE TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE AND COME FORTH WITH NEW IDEAS” – Sounds somewhat familiar? It is a sentence we often hear from upper management, especially in the early stages of our collaboration.

Honestly! When DO people take the #initiative and take on something outside their job description? The short answer is – when they #care and feel empowered.

There are hallmarks of such an environment. It is an environment where:
– knowledge- and information-sharing is consistent
– there is a healthy amount of tolerance for mistakes
– sufficient support and recognition

Therefore, in our initial team coaching sessions, we elicit the team’s pressing needs and an appealing vision that points to the direction the team wants to go. It is the first layer of alignment. Once we have that, we form “Initiative Groups” that focus on critical items of that vision. These groups consist of volunteers from various departments and managerial levels. That way, we give voice to different perspectives. It is the second layer of alignment.

Having said that, it is not always a walk in the park when you think of everybody’s busy work schedules. However, for me, it still is one of the most profound ways to turn pain, complaints, or despair people often feel in organizations into insights and something that will benefit the entire organization.