“In any given moment, we have two options: to step forward into growth, or to step back into safety.”
-Abraham Maslow

During a Lodestar Character Connection group on Initiative, I was surprised to hear how many people in the group said that they were hesitant to initiate change for fear that they may not be successful the first time. Even though the group saw issues that needed addressed, the fear of reprisal kept them from moving forward with their solutions. The antidote to this is developing trust between leaders and their teams. As leaders, we increase trust with our teams by sharing our own weaknesses and failures and by teaching our teams that failures are learning opportunities. When people know that mistakes that result from trying new things will not be punished, they will have more courage to initiate change and step forward into growth. -Paul Weaver