Initiative Workplace

It can take courage and a strong sense of self to show initiative, especially if you fear that people may disagree with your actions or suggestions. Set small goals so you can achieve some quick wins and push yourself to do (positive) things that you would otherwise be scared to do this will not only help you build your self-confidence but it will help you build the courage to accomplish bigger, scarier tasks later on.

Research has shown that people who have a long-term career plan are more likely to take initiative. Professionals who know what they want and where they want to go are far more likely to show initiative at work, especially when the action or decision will help them further their career goals.

The first step or action of a matter, commencing move or the right or power to begin or initiate something and the ability or attitude required to begin or initiate something is called initiative.

Part of being a successful member of a work team is being sensitive to the needs and emotional dynamics of other team members. While it is certainly true that a lack of job security in the current work environment has many people feeling anxious, there is always been mixed feeling about colleagues who make the rest of us look bad. I would say you can learn from this recent experience and try to avoid the high profile kind of initiatives that make others defensive.

Have you ever had to train a new person into a job role (show them what to do) without being asked. Had to fix a photocopier, fax machine, an important piece of equipment that is in constant use and been able to rectify the problem. Had to take control of a situation, maybe when everyone is out of the office/taken calls/direct public/take inquiries. Had to ever delegate work/oversee a new employee/take control.

I work in orders and the company was launching a new product. The sales team had in-depth training on it but we had none.

I suggested that the orders department should also receive the training so that we would understand what was being ordered and be able to answer any questions if necessary. It was agreed we would all undergo a short version of the training.

Of course you work well on your own initiative. But how can you prove that to the interviewer? This is a closed question but it certainly requires more than a one word answer. It is a great chance for you to roll out a pre-prepared example which ticks all the interviewer's boxes and shows you in a positive light.

Yes, I do possess sound initiative skills. As a matter of fact, due to this skill, I contacted the human resource department before hand and inquired about the prerequisites for the interview.

Though, most of it was mentioned in the interview schedule, I inquired about it still. Due to taking such an initiative, I learnt the need of bringing references and certificates and I have brought it with me.

Examples of initiative are as follows:

☛ It inspires the initiative that makes our productivity the wonder of the world.

☛ The bride of good family need do nothing on her own initiative.

☛ It was that personal character and initiative are the prime requisites in political and social life.

The workplace is the physical location where someone works. Such a place can range from a home office to a large office building or factory. The workplace is one of the most important social spaces other than the home, constituting a central concept for several entities, the worker and his/her family, the employing organization, the customers of the organization and the society as a whole. The development of new communication technologies have led to the development of the virtual workplace, a workplace that is not located in any one physical space.

When employees feel they have the latitude to try new endeavors, they probably will. Let employees know they can make changes to the workplace in a way that improves their ability to do their jobs well. Encourage big or small changes depending on what works for your company. You might discover that employees who are free to make their jobs easier will spend more time doing their job and will take the initiative to do it better.

Doing less might be the key to inspiring initiative. If you let employees come up with workplace solutions, their innovation might surprise you. Small businesses owners in particular can benefit from this dedication during the start-up phase and through periods of company growth.

Complement and support employee initiative. Implementing a company-wide change that one employee has made will encourage other workers to follow the lead of their colleague. You will also send the signal that employees need not be afraid to try new ideas and go the extra mile. Listening to employees and encouraging them to find solutions to problems they encounter gives them a sense of ownership of their jobs and a sense of accomplishment when their initiative results in real change.

Here are some of the things effective people do when they taking initiatives:

☛ Right problems to solve

☛ Clear goals and measures of success

☛ Make sure you can produce results

☛ Build and maintain credibility

Here are a couple of other rules about initiative:

☛ Before you take on anything new, make sure that you are doing your assigned job well.

☛ Remember that social initiatives do not count for much. Organizing the company picnic or a blood drive will not get you the kind of recognition you want. They are fine things to do but do them because they bring you satisfaction.

☛ The kind of initiatives that matter to your career are those that relate to the company's critical path. Find out what promotes the company's core mission and tie your initiatives to it.

An initiative is a skill that you can develop. You can do this by following these steps:

☛ Develop a Career Plan

☛ Build Self-Confidence

☛ Spot Opportunities and Potential Improvements

☛ Sense-Check Your Ideas

☛ Develop Rational Persistence

☛ Find Balance

Effective people understand that since people go out of their regular work schedule to work on initiatives most of the time, they need positive reinforcement all the time. One of the best ways to do this is to give credit when it is due, rather than taking all the limelight when initiative succeeds. Also, it means taking the blame if things go wrong rather than letting others bear the brunt of someone's ire. This generates the respect and good faith that is needed for people to sign up for initiatives with effective people.

Effective people are transparent about why they pick initiatives and are always willing to explain the benefits of an initiative. Their actions support their reasoning and helps people see that the intention is to really solve a problem and not to take undue advantage of others.

Initiatives depend on others spending time on work that is not directly assigned to them and sometimes may not even benefit them directly. So the people who take initiatives rely a lot on their own credibility and leadership to get others to work on their initiatives. Building and maintaining credibility is absolute must for sustained initiative-taking. Effective people do so very deliberately, by doing these things:

☛ Being Transparent

☛ Give Credit and take blame

☛ Delivering Results