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.