What happens when you see an issue in your business? you want to fix it. As quickly as possible! You want to resolve the tension that problems create. And because you've got this tension you end up telling people what they need to do to fix things.
This may work in the short-term, but it doesn't build proactivity in the long-term.
Why?
Because you're giving people the answers. In doing so, you create a climate of reliance, constraining new ideas in the process.
To build a more proactive culture use questions instead of answers. Questions that shift people into an 'above the line' mindset (see graphic above). By consistently doing this, you'll get people to be more proactive in their work. Some examples for you:
The blame game between teams
Q: “How can you better work with the X team to get the outcomes the business needs?”
A process takes too long.
Q: “What changes can you make to the X process to make it more efficient?
Poor customer experience
Q: "How could you approach the situation differently next time to create a better customer experience?"
What questions do you like to ask to shift people into a proactive mindset?
