How To Show Initiative At Work

You slaved hard all year, earned accolades for your success, and with performance reviews around the corner, you expect top marks. But, despite your grandiose accomplishments and the confidence you exude, you have a nagging feeling that your performance may be criticized for lagging in one key area: initiative.


Many people view initiative as a mystery because they simply cannot
comprehend how it is measured or what it entails. And unfortunately,
initiative is often the measure that your boss will consider when
adjusting the final score on annual reviews.

Initiative is
often misunderstand because it is not about meeting performance goals;
it's about going the extra mile. Initiative is about identifying a need
and championing a solution for the benefit of the company without being
asked to do so. There is no magic to initiative, just a sense of
responsibility for the company's well-being and a few guiding
principles.

Before you begin your initiative quest, make sure
your heart is in the right place or, in other words, that you want to
help your boss, your company and your peers.
recognize where initiative is required

How well do you understand the needs of your company and your boss? Can you outline what is important to them?


Initiative is about taking steps to make your company better, not about
wasting time tackling unimportant matters. To make the distinction, try
determining the impact a certain action would make on team performance, the company's bottom line or the company's long-term prosperity.


If the answer is "a lot," ask yourself why the company has not already
dedicated resources to the problem. In exploring the issue, you will
probably come across a number of reasons -- some good, some not -- as
to why no action has been taken. Some common reasons are:

There is not enough time or resources

If this is the case, be
prepared to work harder and find like-minded individuals so you won't
compromise the resources that are currently available to your boss.
The magnitude of the problem has not been realized

Are you correct in your analysis of the issue? Be ready to challenge your own beliefs.
A viable solution or course of action was not apparent

Are you in a situation to offer a different perspective on how to tackle the issue?
Action is not welcome


There are a lot of political reasons for why things are done in certain
ways or not done at all. Sometimes those reasons may not be good, but
it could be a good sign not to press forward.

get clearance, then get planning

Get your boss' approval.
There is no sense in pursuing an unsanctioned project that will never
gain the support of your superiors. Prepare an outline of what you are
proposing and designate a time to review it with your boss.


Once you have solicited your supervisor's feedback and have his
support, you may proceed with some detailed planning. A good, detailed
action plan will answer the following questions:
Who is going to help?


Since this is a project that you are initiating, it is important to get
support for your mission, especially if it means people will have to
put in extra time and effort. Show some extra diplomacy if you have no
official right to manage.
How will the plan address the need?

Provide everyone with a "big picture" view of the plan. What is it trying to accomplish and how?
What are the specific tasks and objectives?

What is each person's role or part in the project? What sort of deadlines are they responsible for?
How will success be measured?


Everyone wants to know when the project will be considered finished,
what constitutes success and what constitutes failure. What will happen
in the case of either success or failure?
How will expectations be managed?


Is your management expecting too much or too little? If so, how will
they be convinced otherwise? If your boss' expectations are too low,
your project may not be viewed with much importance. If your boss'
expectations are too high, you might find it hard to live up to them
and, thus, invite disappointment.

take a tip from your boss



So, you have clearance from your supervisor to proceed, but your boss
has his own habits and preferences. How do you accommodate for your
boss' expectations?

Ultimately, you should provide your boss
with the opportunity to express any reservations or concerns that he
would like to have addressed in the final solution. This is no time to
exercise your newfound liberties to the fullest or you could find
yourself starting anew.

Demonstrate your own style of management, but respect the boundaries of your boss' requirements.


Since this is a project that you have chosen to undertake on your own,
there is little chance that he will interfere too much. A much more
likely scenario is that you will be given the opportunity to see the
project to the end and show what you are capable of. Do not waste it.
execute your plan

There comes a time to stop dithering
and put the plan in motion. Make a good impression by getting things
done promptly and according to plan. Bring others into your project as
you need to and do not try to hoard responsibility or credit. Let the
benefits of the project be shared.

The actions you take in
executing your plan should be geared toward putting the company first,
while your own personal glory should come a distant second (or even
third). Let everything you do reflect your desire to help improve the
company.

They say dogs can smell fear, but people can "sniff
out" whether your desire to help the company is genuine or out of
selfish ambition.

At regular intervals, take the time to
review whether your plan is having the desired results. In particular,
is it meeting everyone's expectations?

Identify actions that
still need to be completed or some follow-up items that were overlooked
in the original plan. Consider the need for a Plan B and set up a time
for another progress review (if one is needed).
the fruits of your labor



Initiative takes a lot of effort, cooperation and patience. However,
when you take measures to help your boss or colleagues, such actions
are always valued for their sincerity. There are benefits to your
initiative, but they should not be the driving force for your actions.


Taking initiative will give you the opportunity to take charge, work
with new people and possibly develop new skills. It may also help you
score well on that year-end review.