How to take more initiative at work
When you are hitting targets and achieving KPIs, you have a choice – continue on this path or strive for more and demonstrate the initiative and leadership skills that are so important to businesses. Individuals who show they’re self-starters are as in demand as ever, but it’s an area many professionals may not have much experience.
As organisations and businesses change, you need to make sure you can adapt, be fluid with your workloads, assert yourself when necessary and learn from past errors. When a business develops, so too should you.
Here, we’ll examine what it means to be a self-starter, how to grow within your role, and tips for increasing initiative in the workplace.
Quick links
- What is the meaning of taking initiative?
- Why is taking initiative important?
- 3 signs you’re not taking enough initiative at work
- How to take more initiative at work
What is the meaning of taking initiative?
Getting things done. Taking responsibility. Making the first move. Being ready for action.
We’ve probably all heard these phrases in the work environment. Perhaps you’ve even described yourself as possessing these qualities. In that case, congratulations – you’ve probably used some initiative while at work.
Initiative is the ability to assess and initiate things independently. This doesn’t mean constantly taking things into your own hands when you’re unsure of how to do something, but it does mean trusting your abilities to develop solutions to problems independently. Of course, for larger decisions, you should get confirmation from your seniors before implementing new processes and ensure that everyone who this will affect is duly informed.
Why is taking initiative important?
When you use initiative at work, there’s an inherent point you’re making: you want to stand out from the rest. Using initiative often goes hand in hand with a long-term career plan, allowing you to progress quicker by tackling problems independently. Employees who demonstrate initiative are seen as more capable and are therefore put forward for things like promotions and pay rises.
This means it’s not merely enough to understand your own job. Having a grasp of your team and your organisation’s purpose is a good idea too, as it helps you to know what you should be achieving. From here, you’ll have something to work towards professionally.
Additionally, independent work frees up time within your team, allowing for a more efficient working environment. Particularly for managers, delegating tasks to your team is a vital aspect of the job, but this is only possible if team members can demonstrate initiative so that trust can be built.
3 signs you’re not taking enough initiative at work
Not signing onto new projects
New projects are the best way to show initiative, allowing you to pick up new skills and help out the wider team, even if it’s not in your usual workload. If you’re finding that your work has stagnated, you might not be showing enough initiative and getting involved with new projects.
Lack of collaboration
If you’re finding that most of your work is done in isolation, it could be because you’re not showing the initiative to get involved. Working collaboratively is a great chance to learn new skills as well as pass your skills onto other colleagues, boosting the entire team.
Decreased productivity
Taking on extra work can be a good way to show initiative, demonstrating that you’re not content with completing the bare minimum. If your productivity has dropped, showing a bit of initiative and asking what other tasks you can learn will surely impress your line manager.
How to take more initiative at work
Be proactive
Initiative is all about being proactive. By demonstrating a willingness to take on tasks yourself, you will set an example to your entire team.
Accept challenges and opportunities
Shrinking into the background in the face of oncoming challenges is the opposite of what we’re talking about here. Instead of something to be feared, the self-starter looks at a challenge as a new opportunity to prove themselves. Use upcoming challenges as a chance to show your team and managers how you’d do things your way.
Be confident and positive
Confidence and positivity are the lifeblood of the self-starter. Integral to instilling team spirit in others, as well as giving yourself a boost, a ‘can do’ attitude always goes the extra mile. Keep your self-expectancy high, slumping into work after you’ve left your positivity at home isn’t helping anyone.
Share and discuss all ideas
However big the idea, sharing it with the team can demonstrate your willingness to learn and develop new skills that you’re happy to bring to the team. This can be especially important when onboarding a new member of the team.
Keep learning and developing new skills
Stagnation is the ultimate enemy of initiative. An eagerness to keep learning and developing is the best way to show that you’re a team member who’s bursting with drive. You can do this by signing up for online courses or shadowing a team member.
Identify problems and solutions
A great way to demonstrate initiative is to identify problems and think of solutions independently. While it makes sense to run these solutions past your line manager before implementation, the initial ideas can be thought of and tested in a silo before telling the wider team.
The problem could be that software is costing the company too much money, you could find a free or cheaper alternative and test it out to ensure that it meets your team’s needs before reporting back to your line manager.
Go above and beyond
Stand out from the rest. After your designated tasks have been completed, go back for seconds. There’s always more to be done and there’s plenty of opportunities to be the exception. Make sure your efforts are visible, but ensure your results are hitting the mark. Lots of work and missing targets does not a good worker make.
Using your initiative and growing as a professional is not a one-step process, it is a continuous curve – and everything you experience in the workplace should be used to your benefit next time. Document where you’ve been successful, and where less so, and use this to refine your approach in the future.
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