Taking Initiative – Going Beyond the Assigned and the Obvious.

I’m always telling my team to take initiative and I become frustrated when it does not happen consistently. So I looked up the word “initiative” again to make sure I am using the right word to describe what I am requiring of my team. Initiative is defined as “the ability to assess and initiate things independently and to take charge before others do or being told to do so.” I realized although I was using the right word, I needed to define the types of things I expected them to take the lead on.

For more complex assignments, I do need to define scope and boundaries while also providing some initial instructions and resources. For common, everyday tasks that fall within core responsibilities and basic expectations, I need to consistently communicate to my team they are empowered to go beyond those tasks in order to add greater value. I am also trying to implement more communication in certain cases where they should make decisions based on their own knowledge and understanding of the situation. Some phrases I am using to help encourage independent thinking and action are: “It is your call,” “I trust your decision on this,” “Please come back with your best thinking on this,” and “Let me know potential solutions and likely outcomes.”

Three factors that make taking initiative difficult are:  1) lacking creativity required to think about options, 2) lacking trust in ability or skills to complete the task(s), and 3) lacking time to actually plan, anticipate actions and think beyond the current task(s). But don’t worry, these deficiencies can be overcome. Take a look further:

• Creativityrequires an open mind and the ability to step away from things that “have always been done.” It sometimes requires individuals to write a list of anything they would typically do and then take those options away to force them to think broader.
• In most cases, a lack of trustreally comes from a fear of failure. It is very important to manage the fear associated with stepping out and taking initiative. You will find the result of taking initiative within the boundaries of your role and responsibilities, usually turns out to be less complex than you imagined and may even be appreciated and encouraged.
• Prioritization allows us to have time for planning. Everyone needs to work on managing priorities within the time allotted. After all, it is not time that needs managing but the priorities or the number of things we are trying to accomplish during that time. If we have a more manageable load, then we will likely have more time to think and plan. It is best to think beyond the present moment or task-at-hand and view the outcome of our work output from the viewpoint of the customer, client or person who has made the request. It is also critical to study your calendar as part of the planning process so you stay ahead of items, deadlines, to-dos and tasks prior to the meeting or due date. Looking several days or weeks ahead on your schedule helps you avoid working reactively and being caught off-guard.

Scenarios and Strategies for Taking Initiative.

• If you are late responding to a client, then you should immediately email your manager, explain why you were late and then take the initiative and describe how you plan to avoid this in the future.
• If you continue to have typos in your written work, then you should share with your manager ideas to eliminate these mistakes rather than correcting and continuing to make them.
• In the age of electronic devices and smart phones, communication should be the last thing we worry about. A quick text message or email goes a long way. Your client or boss should not have to ask questions that should be anticipated by you. A good test is to go back and see if you are repeatedly being asked the same things: Why do you need to move the deadline? Why was the deadline missed? When do you plan to get this project completed? Anticipating questions and answering them before they are asked shows your manager you are thinking about the overall work and not just the task of the day. It also increases efficiencies in the organization and eliminates unnecessary emails.
• Rather than saying, ‘I won’t be able to get to this today,” you may want to say, “I won’t be able to get to this today because I didn’t receive a necessary document from the vendor. My goal is to complete this as soon as the vendor online portal is updated.”
• Rather than sending a document that was requested, you might say, “I see you requested document x.  Do you also need any research done on y and z?” Or, if you know the client/manager well enough, you may just go ahead and do the additional research. Proactively anticipating needs requires you have a solid working knowledge of the organization, the culture, and your client/boss, so make sure to study your environment so you don’t inadvertently overstep your boundaries.

In summary, remember these three tips for taking initiative: 1) understand the scope of responsibility for which being proactive is expected, 2) acquire the skills necessary to go beyond the basic request or expectation and 3) set aside time for planning. I am certain by applying the strategies and techniques outlined above you will become even more valuable to your team and organization.