Taking Initiative
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Courses and
Training
• What are your options?
• What is available?
• Why is it important
Anyone Can
Do it
Any person can show initiative
•
Overview
In today's workplace, initiative is
becoming more important.
Employees who are able to think for
themselves and take initiative without
being told what to do by others are
desirable in organizations. This type
of flexibility and courage is what
drives organizations and teams to
invent and overcome competition.
It is more than just
about fulfilling your job
requirements. You don't
have to look busy when
work is slow. It's not
about wasting your time
doing busywork that is
not productive.
A Definition
• It is about taking ownership for your work and going the extra mile. When you take initiative, even if
you don't know what to do, persevere in the face of inertia or difficulty and see your idea through to
its completion, it is called initiative.
• It is easier to take initiative if you do. It is important to find ways to be resourceful, take action before
others do it, or tell you to do it.
• The hallmark of a leader is to take initiative.
Employee
empowerment efforts
are often ineffective.
True empowerment
comes from
experience and
initiative.
Empowerment
Making Great
Employees are motivated to take action, overcome
their fears and learn skills that will allow them to
take initiative.
Tips for Initiative
TIP LIST 1
TIP LIST 2
These are my personal tips for being proactive and taking
initiative at work.
Listen to the conversations around you, even if they don't
relate to your work. This is a great way for you to
discover new opportunities that could be yours.
You should consider taking on other roles. Don't assume
that they have already hired someone for the new task or
project that interests you. You don't necessarily need a
Master's or a Ph.D. to do tasks that are not related to
your job. There is a good chance that you will be granted
additional responsibility if you ask.
Ask for feedback and take action. Not only will it help
you to improve, but also your co-workers and managers
will have a new benchmark against which to measure
your growth.
Small-talk is powerful. There are many talented and
interesting people around you, and you can always learn a
lot from them. You will be amazed at the skills you can
build by taking advantage of it.
We have all seen initiative in action. Perhaps you have
seen a young manager step in for her boss when she is
sick, and the rest are unsure of what to do. Or perhaps
you have seen a member of your team propose a process
improvement plan for the executive board.
About Initiative
Courses
An online Taking Initiative course is for
people who want to learn how to take
initiative and succeed in their professional
and personal lives.
Thank You