How to Take Initiative: 4 Ways to Be a Self-Starter at Work

When you take initiative, you take ownership of your decision-making process and proactively get things done. Initiative means going the extra mile and completing tasks before anyone tells you to. Taking initiative requires foresight and the ability to teach yourself new skills, and, in the long run, it’s a way to improve your professional life and reach your personal goals. Taking initiative means taking responsibility for your own success.

Taking initiative on certain projects establishes you as a valuable team member at work, and may lead to future success. By taking initiative in a job, it demonstrates self-confidence and shows that you are willing to put in the hard work necessary to improve your professional life or personal life. Down the line, you can impress interviewers during a job search by using examples of times when you took initiative in your career.

Taking initiative in the workplace may lead to extra work and responsibilities, but it can also lead to professional development, like an improved career plan or a better title in your field. Essential tips for taking initiative are:

1. 1. Get to know your coworkers. Becoming familiar with the people in your work environment through active listening and cooperation can teach you a lot about who your team members are. Learning their strengths, weaknesses, and overall working habits can inform you of their needs and wants, allowing you to be a more efficient helper down the line. This also applies to helping new people in the office—taking initiative means being the one to train or advise new hires or personnel, which demonstrates effective leadership and empathy towards others.
2. 2. Speak up when you see a problem. When a process isn’t working or needs to be improved, let the right authority know—or, if appropriate, use problem-solving skills to tackle the issue yourself. Taking initiative means doing the right thing in service of success, and if you can solve a small problem on your own, do so.
3. 3. Ask clarifying questions. Asking questions (in a respectful way) shows curiosity and interest, and it shows that you want to learn, which is a beneficial quality in any good employee. By seeking to understand why things work the way they do, you set yourself up to contribute to their improvement. This kind of initiative can impress your employers and motivate others.
4. 4. Tackle problems without being asked. When you take your own initiative and don’t succumb to fear of failure, you demonstrate motivation. If a problem arises that doesn’t require the attention of your coworkers, handle it yourself. Be ambitious and offer assistance to others without being asked.

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