Creating a Culture of Proactivity: Empowering Your Team to Take Initiative

A proactive team is the backbone of a resilient and dynamic workplace. At wattsnext, we believe that empowering our people to take initiative—without constantly seeking permission—helps foster a culture where creativity and innovation thrive. This culture of proactivity not only drives individual growth but adds immense value to our clients and strengthens our team as a whole. Let’s look at how to cultivate this mindset and the kind of proactive actions that can make a real difference.

Encouraging Initiative and Ownership

One of the keys to building a proactive culture is to make it clear that “giving things a crack” is encouraged, even if the outcome isn’t perfect or immediately required. By embracing efforts—whether they hit the mark or not—teams become more comfortable with taking the lead. When your team knows that taking initiative is celebrated, they’re more likely to think ahead and go beyond the minimum, which leads to innovative problem-solving and adds value across the board.

Practical Ways to Show Proactivity

Here are a few ways that we have shared with our team members on they can display proactive behavior, which benefits everyone involved:

1. Anticipate Needs and Save Time for Others
   After attending a client meeting, a team member drafts a follow-up email. By taking this step without being asked, they help save time and move things forward for both the team and the client.

2. Leverage Resources to Tackle New Tasks
   A team member uses ChatGPT to draft a policy, even if it’s outside their regular responsibilities. By being resourceful, they demonstrate initiative and lighten the load for others.

3. Share Relevant Meeting Notes and Take Ownership of Actions
   Instead of waiting for direction, a team member compiles notes from a meeting and suggests action items, helping ensure that the team stays aligned and focused.

4. Offer to Connect with Clients on Routine Updates
   If a team member knows a task is pending, they offer to handle client communication directly, saving time for others and streamlining the workflow.

5. Stay Alert to Opportunities for Client Engagement
   Seasonal opportunities, like crafting a holiday message for clients, are suggested without prompting, showing that the team member is looking for ways to deepen client relationships.

6. Take on Unassigned Tasks
   When one team member notices that a colleague is meeting with a client, they volunteer to set up the meeting or manage logistical details, adding value by being present and ready.

7. Repurpose Past Work to Save Time
   By pulling and adapting templates from a shared repository, a team member speeds up the process for routine tasks, demonstrating efficiency and forethought.

8. Act on Client Communications Quickly
   When cc’d on an email from a client, a team member promptly replies with suggested meeting times, ensuring the client feels heard and valued.

9. Build Connections for Long-term Relationships
   By connecting with new client managers on LinkedIn and integrating them into our e-news mailing list, a team member demonstrates forward-thinking and strengthens the client relationship.

   Each of these examples shows how proactivity can positively impact team dynamics and client outcomes. Encouraging this mindset requires consistently highlighting and celebrating these proactive actions.

Proactivity as a Core Value

At wattsnext, we see every proactive effort as a step toward building a strong and engaged team. A proactive culture doesn’t happen overnight—it’s developed by celebrating initiative and continually providing guidance on what “taking the lead” looks like. When your team embraces proactivity, you foster an environment where every team member feels empowered to add value, think strategically, and support each other.

So, let’s make taking the lead a habit, and watch how this proactive culture not only strengthens our team but also enhances the experience for our clients.