Taking Initiative

Prepared by: Nezar Gharbia

Definition

the action of taking the first step; the ability to think and act without being urged or told.

Doing what needs to be done and not waiting to be told what to do.

Quotes

Some people say “needs are mother of all inventions”. In reality Initiative is the mother of all inventions”. Millions of people had the need for a light bulb, only Thomas Addison took the initiative to do something about it.

"initiative is the principal ingredient for success in the work place."

compare your company to competition you have similar products. Similar services. Similar technologies Similar channels of distribution Similar marketing strategies

So, what makes one company a success while another struggles to survive. It’s the people and their daily initiatives, energy and commitment.

More Quotes

Thinking of yourself as a self-employed is an attitude that says, “I am a business partner; I have integrity and responsibility for working with the organization and the customer and for attending to my own personal and professional development”

“The biggest mistake you can make in life is to think you work for someone else. “

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

Aristotle Our basic nature is to act, and not be acted upon. enabling

us to choose our response to particular circumstances, this empowers us to create circumstances. So make a choice Act or be Acted Upon.

Examples

While still an admin assistance at Xerox Joanne Griffin senses opportunity in a project no one wants, directs a team to implement it and is today a corporate VP of Enterprise Rent-a-car.

Frustrated by bookmarks that keeps falling out of place, 3M engineer Art Fry created the post-It notes. Today, It is a $300 million product. 3M, you will recall, is the company that took a somewhat significant mistake by one of its inventors--a failed effort to make a super-strong adhesive--and turned the result, an adhesive that could be easily applied and then removed, into the sticky-note industry.

Why people do not do it. Common Excuses

FearFrustrationsFailures

Fear

If I do it once - then it becomes my job fear that others may think we are overstepping our

boundaries I might make a mistake What needs to be done is not easy I am afraid to be fired

Frustrations

I don’t have the authority I do not have the support I don’t have the skill I do not have the time

Failure

I took initiative once and made a mistake Someone keeps blocking my efforts I constantly Fail when I try to take initiative.

Why do it

Your work will become more exciting.You will see the impact of your actions.You will learn, grow and develop yourself.Develop reputation of someone who can get

things done.Respect of peers and management alike.Financial rewards.

And ultimately you get to realize your potential and limits.

How do you know that you need to take Initiative

When you know the answerWhen it is within the realm of your authorityWhen it is supporting the team

How to do it

ThinkPrepareActPersevere

Think

Make you job more difficult. Expand you responsibilities volunteer

Think of how things can be done better. (think outside the box)

Question authority and the status quote.Shoot holes in your own plan.Ask silly questions.Turn needs into opportunities.Trust your intuitionDo not be a complainer.

Prepare

Learn what you don’t know firstCollect your own data.Develop options and a plan of actionsShoot holes in your own planRealize no one cares about your ideas, but

you.Caution, Don’t play games at work.

Act

Speak up to have influenceVolunteer for difficult assignmentGreet challenges with creativityLook for the positive in problemsBe a person who makes things happensTake responsibilities for your actions

Persevere

Regroup when your idea meets resistanceDon’t trust your manager, especially his open

door policy.Persist when obstacles ariseDo the same thing differentlyLearn to enjoy Those things that others hate

to do.Avoid the blame game

Common mistakes

Becoming pushy.Becoming obnoxious.Becoming over aggressive.Becoming selfish, and not caring.Becoming a complainer.

So what would happen if no one does it

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was

Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but

Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when

Nobody did what Anybody could have done