Counsel failing to follow a direction initially (6)
I believe the answer is:
advice
'counsel' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'failing to follow a direction initially' is the wordplay.
'failing' becomes 'vice' (vice can mean a moral failing).
'to follow' means one lot of letters go next to another (some letters go after or follow others).
'initially' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'direction' is 'd'.
'a'+'d'='ad'
'vice' put after 'ad' is 'ADVICE'.
(Other definitions for advice that I've seen before include "What lawyer offers" , "Formal notice" , "Proposal for an appropriate course of action" , "Recommendation for a course of action" , "Informed counsel" .)