Initiative matters

Initiative matters - person completing the final piece of a puzzle

Even though the actual definition of initiative reads as the ability to assess and initiate things independently, it’s actually anything but independent.

Initiative always involves and impacts others and like any good leadership characteristic, it works best when certain principles are present.

Initiative requires us to be the change agents we expect others to be.
In other words, don’t wait for others to start. If you know what needs to be done then it’s best to get going and lead by example, create momentum

Initiative requires that we start and finish well
Sometimes the emphasis is on getting started really well but you in order to keep focused you need to know it or at least see the end game

Initiative requires an eye on the future
Building for the future is paramount to keeping our initiative vibrant, which means that bumps and challenges along the way aren’t roadblocks, only detours to where we’re headed. We sow now to reap later. We see this in good succession planning or planning for our own growth

Consider

How can you inspire initiative in your team and yourself to go further?