Initiative: Recognizing and doing what needs to be done without being asked or coerced.
If you have initiative, you are self-motivated and resourceful. You can independently and accurately assess situations and take appropriate action.
Being proactive & planning ahead + self-motivated action = initiative
INITIATIVE REQUIRES:
- ACTIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT: A person with initiative is constantly scanning the environment to prepare for the next step. They consider possible solutions and alternatives.
- ACTION: Initiative leads you to take personal responsibility for situations, be proactive, and act in preparation for future situations. It means you take control and make things happen instead of just waiting for things to happen.
- ADAPTABILITY: You anticipate necessary change and are flexible and adaptable. A person with initiative is motivated to adapt their approach to win others’ trust, which may help them to overcome objections to their ideas.
“Initiative is to success what a lighted match is to a candle.”- Orlando Aloysius Battista
