Learning objectives :

• Create an environment where everyone feels empowered to share their ideas and differing opinions
• Encourage initiative and value learning, even in situations where things don't go as planned
• Provide your team with a clear framework to take a step back and act independently
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Course :

Session 1: Encouraging Open Discussion
Managers with extensive expertise tend to speak too soon or too loudly, which shuts down the discussion before it has really begun. This session addresses the habits that either foster or hinder a safe space for discussion—whether in one-on-one conversations or in meetings.

Example of a tool : Key phrases for one-on-ones and meetings (phrases to proactively invite disagreement, break the silence, seek input from the more reserved participants, and value opposing viewpoints to enhance the quality of decisions).

Case Study : Identify your own habits that cut off the discussion (responding too quickly, agreeing too soon, failing to follow up) and practice phrases that create a space where team members feel truly safe to offer a different opinion.

Session 2: Encouraging Initiative
A proactive team isn’t something you simply decree; it’s built by fostering a culture where initiatives—even small ones—are recognized, and where failures are accepted as part of the process rather than punished. Participants learn how to send the right signals on a daily basis, especially during challenging times.

Example of a tool : Attitude and key phrases to highlight learning opportunities (emphasize subtle signs and acknowledge small initiatives that support the strategy, even if they don’t yield major visible results / normalize everyday challenges and minor setbacks to derive collective lessons from them / bring the invisible to light: highlight the contributions of those doing behind-the-scenes work that goes largely unnoticed).

Case Study : Preparing your message following a project failure, carefully planning exactly what to say, how to say it, and what stance to take so that the team can learn from the experience without feeling judged.

Session 3: Inspiring Your Team
For team members to take initiative, they need to understand the "why" and see how their own contributions fit into the bigger picture. This session provides managers with a practical tool for establishing this framework: a one-pager that gives the team a broader perspective and motivates them to get involved.

Example of a tool : The framework for defining the "playing field" (1. Context: why this is important now / 2. Vision of success: what success looks like and how we’ll know when we’ve achieved it / 3. Call to action: what we expect from the team / 4. Constraints: the cards we can’t play / 5. How we’ll work together).

Example scenario : Write your own project framework for an ongoing project or assignment, then share it with a peer to ensure it is clear and engaging enough to motivate the team to get involved and take initiative.