Initiative

This section has been adapted from: Newton, L. 2012, Creativity for a New Curriculum, pp. 5-11.

Initiative is often linked to creativity and innovation. Words associated with people who show initiative include:

• Energetic 
• Inventive 
• Enterprising 
• Proactive

But what does "showing initiative" involve? Well, even if you act on just some of the following, you’ll be showing initiative: 

1. Don’t be complacent – search for new solutions and more effective approaches. Ask: Why? Why not? What if? 
2. Don’t work to rule – do more than what is literally asked of you. Go beyond just doing delegated tasks well –  you need to do more, differently, better.
3. Share ideas – sure, think about ideas first and research them (perhaps ask a mentor),  but if you don’t say anything, you’ll never know. It definitely pays to remember the difference between think thought and share thought!
4. The phrase “fake it till you make it” is common when talking about fostering confidence. You do need some confidence to act with initiative...so, if you don’t have confidence yet just behave as if you do! Some of the most confident looking people (like actors) are sometimes painfully shy. 
5. People talk about opportunities, both in life and in business, but sometimes they are hard to spot! Every day, challenge yourself to spot opportunities – for your own personal growth and for career progression.  
6. Linked to opportunities, is the idea of always being prepared. You can't act on an opportunity if you are always thinking “I just need to do X...or finish Y” What are you really waiting for? Learn. Grow. Challenge yourself. 
7. Promote yourself and be wary of other people’s criticism. Practice some positive self-talk. Do your research and promote yourself and your ideas – not with idle boasting but with evidence, argument and experience. 
8. Question how things work and how you can improve them. It's about having a critical mind, not necessarily badgering people with questions. Be curious. Ask questions. Try to find out how things work and analyse each situation. This will give birth to new ideas and ways to contribute to the growth of your organisation.

Key points

Initiative is becoming increasingly important in today's workplace. You show initiative when you act without being told what to do, when you persist in the face of inertia and difficulty, and when you see your idea through to a successful conclusion.

There are six steps you can take to develop your own initiative:

1. Develop a career plan.
2. Build self-confidence.
3. Spot opportunities and potential improvements.
4. Sense-check your ideas.
5. Develop persistence.
6. Find balance.