Is it important to take initiative in the workplace?

Are you doing just what’s expected of you at work?

Are you curious about finding ways your team can improve?

When you see a potential problem, do you bring it up with your team?

Do you share your ideas or keep them to yourself?

If you’re doing more and speaking up, it sounds like you’re trying to become a team player who takes the initiative in the workplace.

What is initiative and what does it mean to take it?

Taking initiative means thinking proactively about tasks, not just to check them off a list, but to get them done well. It’s about going the extra mile on the basic tasks you’re assigned, thinking through constraints, and complications, and taking on work before someone asks you to.

Taking initiative means noticing opportunities that others may or may not see and taking action.

It is about taking responsibility for our work and that we are open to opportunities to learn from it and improve when it doesn’t go well.

If we notice a typical team, not everyone is willing to take initiative. Initiative takers have different traits which will help them stand out from the crowd.

1) They work in the interest of the organization not for individual benefits — they strive for the betterment of the whole company.

2) They don’t bother about WIIFM (What’s in it for them). Winning as a team is more important to them rather than winning solo.

3) Great team player with excellent collaboration skills

4) Is good at communication and beams with confidence.

5) Open for feedback — takes constructive feedback with the right spirit and is always willing to get better.

6) Great at networking — doesn’t hesitate to talk to strangers and encourages them to be part of the working group.

But is it necessary to take initiative?

If you’re doing everything you were hired to do, you might be thinking why you have to take on more. When you think about taking the initiative to get things done, don’t think of it as increasing your workload.

Think of it as becoming more valuable and relevant and positioning yourself for growth. Depending on your work, you might also think of it as achieving an important outcome.

Besides establishing yourself as a valuable team player, taking initiative can impact you and your work in many positive ways.

But your impact reaches beyond your workplace too.

Take a look at these main reasons to take the initiative and imagine yourself trying them.

• Makes you stand out from the rest of the competition.
• Builds confidence in your professional life and personal life
• Improves your chances for promotions and career growth
• Strengthens your relationship with not your team members but also across the organization
• Helps with problem-solving
• Boosts happiness and job satisfaction for you and your workplace
• Creates better critical thinking and problem-solving skills

And the list continues.

When do you think someone has to take initiative at work?

Also, if you have worked on any initiatives beyond your call of duty, how did it help?

Interested to hear your thoughts and also feedback on this article.

Thanks for reading.

PS: Got feedback from a few subscribers requesting me to publish this newsletter on Monday instead of late evenings on Fridays. So please expect a new edition every Monday from now onwards

Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.