Ownership & Initiative

Generally, we want our team members to demonstrate those elusive qualities of personal ownership and initiative.

The key issue is how to achieve it? The Situational Leadership model is a good guide for developing individuals. However the key element in achieving personal ownership and initiative in a team is the words and actions that come from the Leader.

Consider each person's behaviours on a scale between Disenfranchised and Anarchy.

Team members who are disenfranchised, and don't do more than the minimum required, do not show ownership and initiative. Equally, we do not want team members who are into anarchy - these are the ones that don't keep to the rules that good governance requires.

What good ownership and initiative is having team members as close to the line of Anarchy, without crossing over. These are the team members who do more, take on more, achieve more, challenge more and are great employees.

Great leaders know that you can't say to someone "show more initiative" and expect them to show it. Helping someone to develop initiative is about providing them with a safe environment in which their confidence can grow to their maximum capability.

What managers and leaders can do is influence the level of ownership and initiative that their teams demonstrate by their actions and the words that come out of their mouths. Some words move an individuals behaviours to the left [towards disenfranchised] and some words move an individuals behaviours to the right.

Examples of words that move someone's behaviours to the left:

That will need my approval before you go ahead.
I’d like you to do it this way.
Because I said so.
There’s now a spending/recruitment freeze.
You need to do this.
These are what the [my] priorities are.
I’m not interested in that.
Let me show you how I want it done.
I’d like to be involved with that before we sign it off.
I want solutions not problems.
The ROI on the ATT needs to increase by 6 basis points.
Present to me your findings and I’ll make a decision.
I want 110% from everyone.
That’s now approved by me, but we’ve now got 7 more approval levels to get through.
Stop crying, you baby.

Examples of words that move someone's behaviours to the right:

What options have we got?
Which option do you think is best?
Have you gone through this with all the stakeholders?
Let’s go with what you think.
This is your budget, spend it how you think best.
Everyone has an input.
We’re a team, we don’t blame each other when things go wrong.
These are the boundaries, you do your best within them.
I’m listening.
Do you want my opinion or thoughts?
I’ve listened to all options, but we need to make a decision, and breaking the tie is my role.
Are we clear who is accountable for what?
Explain it to the rest of us as if we’re 6-year olds.
How can I help you do your job?