Initiative is the ability to take action without being directed by others or otherwise prompted. It is the willingness to identify and pursue opportunities, and to take the first step towards accomplishing a task. It is also the ability to see danger ahead and react while there is still time to avert disaster. It is a crucial tenet of business, yet sorely lacking in many organizations and individuals.

A big concern is whether someone absent of innovation will ever learn to handle problems before they arrive. If so, how? Or is someone who stands by idly watching while a calamity unfolds doomed to being a slug the rest of his life?

But it’s not entirely the individual’s fault. In the 21st century, almost everything is instant. This has eliminated a lot of anticipation. The waiting and desire to see something come to fruition puts us in an emotional state that compels us to look to the future. It’s the kids in the backseat asking “Are we almost there?”

And teenagers are prime examples of what we are talking about. Psychologists tell us young people are nearly incapable of making good decisions or being proactive because their prefrontal cortex has not yet been developed. Personally, I think that is a load-of-crap argument that has been overused. Even if they cannot see the forest for the trees, they can still respect boundaries given to them.

Unfortunately, it’s not just the teens who are challenged by a lack of ambition. A great place to start with an employee who suffers from inaction is to ensure he understands the work requirements. Fuzzy job descriptions and multiple bosses will confuse even the most adept worker. But these were established on the day of hiring, so in this case, the company actually set up the employee to fail.

Specify responsibilities. Does the individual know what is expected? Any job posting will have a description. Is that the job the employee is performing? Put responsibilities in writing and be certain the team member understands them. We have all been in situations where we have been thrown to the wolves, and it’s no fun. By the way, “and additional duties as assigned,” is not an effective job description.

Knowledge and clear communication are wonderful, but a team member needs to understand the alternative. Are there key performance indicators? It is not enough for someone to acknowledge a responsibility “falls under their purview” because they are on site that day. He needs to be clear about his consequences should things go wrong.

Cut through the fog and establish a legitimate chain of command. I have often heard of those who have more than one manager. In most cases, this is a bad idea because the two bosses usually have different priorities, and the employee is caught in the middle.

Deadlines and benchmark meetings are a great way to enforce responsibility. When a staff member has to calculate the time available versus the work to be done, they tend to gain a sense of foresight. A boss who meets with a person once a week for an update to a monthlong project not only establishes priority but the superior also makes himself available as a resource for helping to keep things on track.

If something is more systematic in nature, eliminate any overwhelm that may be involved. Multiple options can be confusing and stifle initiative. Help someone to establish a routine or system. If a monthly board meeting is a week away, its preparation more than likely follows a formula. What has been done in the past? Will it work now? Also, help employees break larger projects down into smaller phases.

The fear of making a mistake can also create a sense of overwhelm or even dread. Assure people they are responsible for their mistakes, but that they will also have the chance to clean them up. A boss can help them gain confidence by relating that no one is expecting perfection—unless it is actual rocket science or brain surgery, of course. People should learn from failure, but doing nothing at all is a double-whammy.

Moreover, learning from failures and mistakes is an important aspect of developing initiative. Failure is a natural part of the learning process, and the ability to learn from mistakes and to keep going is what separates the truly successful from those who give up. Additionally, learning and practicing new skills, such as leadership, decision-making and problem-solving, can also help to develop initiative.

Some people may be naturally inclined to be more passive and to wait for others to take the lead. Others may lack the confidence or the skills to take initiative, while some may have been conditioned by past experiences to be more passive. But without getting into psychological counseling, assess whether a person may be better suited in a different position.

Yes, good old-fashioned laziness is also a reason why people don’t take initiative. They might be comfortable with the status quo and don’t want to put forth an effort to improve. If that’s the case, you have to ask whether you even want them on your payroll.

[Top: Photo courtesy of Annie Spratt / Pexels]