My childhood involved some tough moments, but adversity also carries blessings. For instance, I knew at an early age that I needed to make things happen for myself. No one else would do it for me. 

 

The little girl Anne saw that she must step up and seize the moment when it came. So that’s what I love to see in others, too — that self-motivation to succeed. This hope is fundamental to our nonprofit, HireSmart Cares. We want youth to take every action possible to better themselves, so we do what we can through teaching and investment in workforce development initiatives to help the next generation succeed. 

 

A call to action: HireSmart Cares aims to help youth realize their potential   

 

We also live this daily in our business, encouraging our employees to be their best and live their best lives. I teach volunteer leadership classes for my employees. I encourage them to expand their skill set and explore what motivates them. 

 

I bet you feel the same, right? You want your team to thrive. No one wants their employees to feel stuck in the mud. So, how do we help them find a powerful sense of independence while joining together on our team? 

 

Here are some tips on how to do that: 

 

• Connect Work to a Larger Purpose: Help your employees see how their individual work contributes to the organization’s larger mission and goals. Understanding their impact makes them more likely to find intrinsic motivation and work independently towards those goals.

 

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• Encourage Cross-functional Collaboration: Provide opportunities for your employees to work with people from other teams or departments. Exposure to new perspectives and ways of working can spark creativity and encourage employees to think more independently.

 

• Embrace Failure: Create a culture where it’s OK to try something and fail. Employees who feel safe taking risks are more likely to step outside their comfort zones and develop innovative solutions.

 

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• Celebrate Small Wins: Recognize and celebrate progress, not just significant milestones. Employees who feel their efforts are noticed and appreciated are more motivated to keep pushing forward independently.

 

• Provide Resources for Self-Directed Learning: Give your team access to online courses, books, or other learning materials they can explore independently. When empowered to direct their learning, they’re more likely to take initiative in their work.

 

• Trust the Process: Building a culture of independence and initiative takes time. Trust that by consistently reinforcing these values and providing these opportunities, you’re laying the groundwork for a more autonomous and engaged team in the long run.

 

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At HireSmart, we see these principles in action every day. We find VEs with a natural drive and initiative, which we nurture through our training and support. Then, when they join our clients’ teams, they’re ready to bring that same spirit of independence and ownership to their work. 

 

We’ve seen VEs lead projects, streamline processes, and develop game-changing ideas — not because they were told to, but because they were empowered to. They take the ball and run with it, and that entrepreneurial spirit is infectious. It spreads to the rest of the team, creating a culture of independence and innovation. 

 

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That’s the power of building a team of self-starters. They not only get the job done, but they make the whole team better and stronger in the process. 

 

So, if you’re ready to inject some of that HireSmart spirit into your team, we’re here to help. Our VEs are ready and eager to bring their drive and initiative to your organization. 

 

Click here to schedule a consultation and learn more about how a HireSmart VE can help cultivate a culture of independence on your team. 

 

Your role as a leader isn’t to have all the answers or do all the work yourself. It’s to create an environment where your team can think, grow, and succeed independently. And with the right strategies and support, you can do just that. 

 

We’d love to discuss how you can make that happen. 

 

Cheers!