Initiative and creativity move the world. They foster the realization of innovative ideas in various industries and contribute to constant development.There is a great demand for energetic professionals who are inventive and enterprising enough to be proactive in everything they do.
Here are nine tips to help you be one of those proactive professionals and take more initiative at work:
1. Never Stand Still
People who do the things the way they have always been done will in the best case get the same results all over again.
It’s not a secret that even for staying in the same place you have to run faster and faster. Thereby, for standing out you need to be creative. You should constantly search for new solutions and more effective approaches. Ideas are the most expensive matters nowadays and so far the best contribution you can offer to your organization.
2. Do More Than Required of You
Ability to perfectly implement the delegated tasks is, of course, an important quality for being effective at work. But this won’t give you the opportunity to stand out. There may be a plenty of people in your organization who succeed in that.
Do you want to be exceptional? Then act exceptional. Try to do something extra all the time. One important rule is to concentrate on areas where you can generate the most visible and remarkable results.
3. Think as a Team Member, nor Employee
You can’t care and devote yourself fully to something that you don’t consider as yours. We have the same concept in the workplace too. If you decided to take initiative at work, then think about yourself as a team member.
This means that each success, each achievement of the organization is yours as well. Corporate prosperity will lead to your personal prosperity too. As soon as you establish this mindset you will start caring about each detail and dedicating all your efforts to achieving profound outcomes.
4. Speak Up And Share Your Ideas
Do you have a brilliant idea? Then go ahead and speak about it. A million wonderful ideas haven’t meant anything to this world just because they were not told; no one knew about them.
There is always need for fresh, powerful concepts. If your suggestions are based on broad research and adequate facts, then you have a great chance to see them being realized in the near future.
5. Fake It Till You Make It
It’s not a secret that self-confidence is one of the most powerful characteristics of successful people. It is extremely important in any sphere, place, or circumstance. Your confident gestures, voice, and behavior will have a crucial role on your way up the career ladder. So, develop your self-confidence all the time. Focus on your strengths and build on them to realize your goals.
6. Consider Every Opportunity
Opportunities are hidden everywhere, and people who see them are the ones who prosper. Make a habit of constantly asking yourself: “What opportunities for growth can I carve out of this situation?” If needed, think about this same question again and again. Gradually you will find the answer. You may see a chance to show your unique professional abilities. You may discover a possibility to take up a perspective project, which will open new career horizons. All you need to do is analyze and act.
7. Always Be Prepared
Tackle new skills and refine your abilities all the time. You learn and grow by challenging yourself. This will give you the knowledge and confidence to show more initiative in current or upcoming projects. It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared. That is why you should aim high and constantly grow both as a person and a professional. As soon as you see a chance to use the acquired competence, go ahead and do that.
8. Be Self-Promotional
If you firmly believe in something, don’t accept every criticism you receive. So many successful entrepreneurs’s ideas were initially considered to be a failure. But they persisted and won. If you have a firm foundation for certifying the success of your insight, then do your best to convince others of its importance. Each situation may require a different approach. Find out the best one to promote your ideas depending on a current circumstance.
9. Ask Too Many Questions
To take initiative you should know how things work and how you can improve them. For this purpose, try to observe everything going on around you as much as you can. Be curious and ask questions. Try to find out how the things work and analyze each situation. This will give birth to new ideas and ways to contribute to the growth of your organization more and more.
Read the original article from Fast Company: https://www.fastcompany.com/3037092/how-to-be-a-success-at-everything/9-ways-to-take-more-initiative-at-work
