We want initiative – but are we too scared to spark it?
Almost every client I work with complains that their people aren’t taking ownership, thinking critically, or going above and beyond.
And yet… when I step in as a coach or trainer to help build those very traits, I often get pushback from the leadership team.
🙅 “We don’t want to push them too hard.”
🙅 “They’re already overloaded.”
🙅 “This will take them outside their comfort zone.”
But here’s the twist:
When I do get the opportunity to challenge the individuals directly, they rise to the occasion—wholeheartedly.
They want to think more deeply. They want to stretch. They want to do work they can be proud of.
They just need permission – and a nudge.
It reminds me of something my high school band director used to say:
“People rise to the level you expect of them.”
He expected a lot. We were a small-town band in rural Wisconsin, but we punched well above our weight – winning contests, outperforming larger schools, and once even earning a standing ovation from the great Alfred Reed himself (on his chair, no less—IYKYK).
And here’s where it gets urgent.
We’re already seeing early studies linking routine AI use with cognitive decline. Not because the tech is bad—but because we’re outsourcing too much of our thinking.
If we don’t actively train for critical thinking and ownership now, what happens when tools can do the easy stuff for us?
The future belongs to those who know how to think, not just prompt.
So let’s stop shielding people from growth – and start expecting more of them.
You might be surprised just how high they’ll rise.
Thoughts? I’d love to hear them
