Take the initiative at work – and set yourself apart

Inspired by the book, “1001 Ways To Take Initiative At Work,” by Bob Nelson, I try to encourage you to take the initiative. Doing so makes your business a better place, and can result in positive steps for you.

I’m only through the first section now, but in there we learn that:

1. Common employees can and do take the initiative; it’s not always upper or mid-level management.

2. The suggestions are often quite simple, yet they have a profound effect on business operations and the bottom line. Note the example given in the video about the Clorox Company.

3. These suggestions start with the person realizing there is a problem and wondering if there could be a better way. Taking the initiative, the worker reviews the situation, comes up with a solution, and presents the findings to management.

To get things done, the author states, it’s important to set goals. They should be:

1. Few in number and focused
2. Not too hard, but also not too easy
3. Mutually agreed upon. (Assumes you’re working in a team.) All others are working toward the same goal
4.Visualized and written down.

Then, choose action step(s) that offer the greatest impact.

Have you taken the initiative at work? What was the result? Feel free to comment below. If you found value in this post, could you do me a favor and share it with others? Thanks, and good luck!

For additional valuable reading, see “Need to make a decision? Get SMART” and “How to be a good manager.”