“I’d rather re-direct someone every day than have to push them to do anything.”
Image source: ehealth.va.govExplanation:
How does a manager develop initiative and risk taking in subordinates? I think it starts with letting them know that they are expected to take initiative and that they are allowed to make mistakes. Additionally, they need to know that, as the manager, you will re-direct them in a constructive way if they are going in the wrong direction. Here is an example from my Navy days that illustrates this point.
I was a junior officer on the bridge of a ship standing watch as the Junior Officer of the Deck. I was giving commands to the helmsman (steers the ship) and the Lee Helmsman (communicates with the engine room to control the speed of the propellers). The ship’s captain happened to be on the bridge and was sitting in his cushy chair to watch as we were maneuvering with several other ships in the battle group. Only the captain and the Executive Officer are allowed to sit while on the Bridge, everyone else must stand. It was a pretty precarious situation and a bad maneuver on our part could be embarrassing to our ship, or disastrous if we actually hit one of the other ships. Because of my anxiety and inexperience in this type of situation, I looked over to see how the captain would react after every command I issued. After several commands, the captain called me over to his chair. “Ensign Moreman, why do you look over at me every time you give a command?” I probably gave some lame excuse, like I didn’t realize I was doing it. He then said “let me tell you something. You can’t screw up bad enough that I can’t get you out of it.” “You just do your job like I’m not here and you’ll hear from me if you make a mistake - and we’ll fix it together.” I never looked over again, and he didn’t need to step in.
There are two parts to the deal struck between the manager and the employee about initiative. The first is that the manager will allow, and expects the subordinate to act on their own initiative. The second part is that the manager must be allowed to redirect the subordinate without fear of discouraging future initiative. Some employees (like teenagers), once they get a taste of being independent, resent any interference by the person in authority over them. It is best to discuss this before it happens and make a deal. “I will allow, and expect, you to take the initiative, and you’ll agree to let me participate when I see the need”.
Image source: laprogressive.com
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