An important thing to consider is how much initiative employees in a learning mode need to show. Once the levels have been discussed, the employees will be in a better position to select a level that is most comfortable for them and most productive for their employer.

Level 1: Wait for direction – Expecting someone unfamiliar with a job to do what they think is best is not always a good strategy when conditions are uncertain. In that case, it’s probably better to have them wait for direction before taking action.

Take for instance the recently trained sales staff of a startup manufacturer who were unaware they were basing their contract agreements on inaccurate price lists. Profits plummeted and most of the salesforce quit. In response the newly hired sales staff were provided with updated prices before closing an order. It wasn’t long before both profits and sale showed great improvement.

Level 2: Ask for direction – There are times when trainees should ask for direction, especially when events don’t unfold as previously planned. Expecting them to just sit around waiting for direction when faced with a situation that needs immediate attention is not a good strategy.

Picture a busy doctor telling his new receptionist to cancel all appointments because an important visitor is expected. The visitor arrived and was told by the receptionist that the doctor had cancelled all appointments. The visitor assumed an emergency had come up so he wrote a note and left it with the secretary.

Soon after, the doctor came out to ask if the visitor had arrived and was handed the note. He was dumbfounded to learn that the important visitor had come and gone without a word from the receptionist. Had she asked for the name of the visitor, this story would have ended happily.

Level 3: Suggest a direction – Those new hires who deal with the product or provide the service know better than anyone else why something is not working and what to do about it. Their ideas will not be forthcoming, however, unless they are encouraged to make suggestions.

For example, a home health agency in a large metropolitan area was putting pressure on its nursing staff to see more patients. Under the current system, the nurses would begin their day at the central office where they would be assigned a patient. After each visit, the nurse would then return to the office to pick up the next assignment. Using this system a nurse could make three to four home visits per day. Not enough to sustain the financial goals set by the Board of Directors.

When asked for their input the nurses came up with two great suggestions. First, they asked for mobile phones so that they could call in for assignments instead of driving back to the office. Second, rather than assign the next patient from the list, they would be assigned the patient nearest to their current location. When the numbers were tallied at the end of the trial period, home visits had doubled and transportation costs were cut in half.

Level 4: Act and report immediately – seasoned employees are in the best position to make improvements. Established achievers should be preauthorized to resolve issues and then report the results of their actions right away.

For example. Bernise the purchasing agent had a reputation for wheeling and dealing with vendors. The new administrator found out recently just how good Bernise was when she placed an order for a multipurpose document copier. While shopping around, she came upon a great deal on a state-of-the-art machine.

Shipping costs would be waived if the order were placed immediately. Unfortunately, the total cost was more than the amount she was authorized to spend. Rather than submit a new requisition and miss the opportunity, Bernise closed the deal and informed her director. He was not only pleased with the decision, but grateful to Bernise for not missing this opportunity.

Level 5: Act and report periodically – Experienced employees know when a situation has the potential for worsening if action isn’t taken to resolve the problem.

Jerry, the project team leader, had what he hoped was great news for his colleagues. For months, the team had been spread out around the small campus crammed into cubicles and tiny rooms. Eager to be housed in the same building, Jerry had been given the task of finding a place large enough to match their space requirements and budget limitations.

Shortly after, a realtor called to say that a bankrupt firm had just been evicted from a building that sounded perfect. Eager to have a tenant, the landlord agreed to forego three months’ rent and a security deposit if they would accept the space as is and move in immediately. Jerry signed the lease. His announcement at the weekly team meeting was met with a jubilant round of applause.

Level 6: Act until redirected – Self-directed workers are confident in their ability to negotiate agreements, overcome challenges, and respond to deviations. Achievers at this level are secure in the knowledge that they have unconditional support from above.

Here’s an example of how an achiever can accomplish more than expected when given free rein. Chris was assigned responsibility for creating an education and conference center at a newly constructed children’s hospital. As the new Director of Training and Development, he knew that the budget was significantly smaller than the challenge he faced.

Rather than compete for additional funding and delay the project, Chris convinced the other departments to combine their training budgets. He persuaded local business to donate furniture and equipment. He also created internships for Instructional Technology students from the local university to design, install, and maintain the audiovisual system.

The world-class, state-of-the-art center was soon hosting top-rated conferences for physicians, administrators, and health care professionals from all over the region as well as providing training programs, workshops, and seminars for the hospital staff.

*Steven Covey’s original model had 5 levels. Adding a 6^th helps to recruit and retain high achievers.