In or Out?

The bystander effect occurs when our brain lets us off the hook for taking action on something because we assume that someone else will. 

I'm not advocating for the fact that we should say yes to everything that someone throws out there. I'm just tiring of the passive stance that I've seen so many people take. 

Next time you are in a conversation and you can see the bystander effect coming into play try to shift into the active. Whether this is saying yes, I will do this or no, I don't have the capacity or I don't think it's a good idea because… at least there is a resolution to the conversation rather than a later conversation in which someone says "I'm not sure where X is going, there was no clear decision." The group has an idea of the energy around the idea and why it might have been parked. 

I've been thinking a lot about ways to turn this word on its heads. Hand raiser occured to me first, but that still implies a level of permission that you are asking for. For Seth Godin they are the linchpin.  For others it's what you might call a leader. I'm not sure exactly what the opposite of a bystander is, but I know I'm always looking for them.