Celebrate small wins to unlock your teams initiative
Initiative is the secret sauce to high-performing teams.
Leaders crave it because it drives growth, innovation, and results. People want to show initiative because it stretches their capabilities, helping them stand out and accelerate their careers.
In fact, initiative has twice the impact on promotion decisions as simply doing a good job.
But here’s the catch: teams need leaders to make it safe to take that initiative.
Without psychological safety—the belief that taking risks won’t lead to ridicule or career consequences if things fail—teams retreat. They play it safe, stay quiet, and avoid stepping out of line.
Here are five signs your team is struggling with initiative:
Constant approval-seeking – Every decision needs validation.
Minimal risk-taking – Fear of failure keeps them defending the status quo.
Lack of ideas – Innovation feels like a distant dream.
Avoiding responsibility – No one steps up to lead.
Reactive behaviour – They wait for instructions rather than act on their own.
A simple step to shift this dynamic:
Encourage and celebrate small risks.
When a problem arises, ask a team member to take a small step forward—whether to better understand it or develop solutions in collaboration with someone else.
Collaboration feels safer than going it alone. Celebrate the step forward, regardless of the outcome. Discuss what was done and what was learned.
By normalising feeling the discomfort of navigating uncertainty, it makes it safe for people to try and stumble. Over time, this builds a culture where people take action, rather than waiting to be shown the way.