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Initiative

“Without initiative leaders are simply workers in leadership positions,” Bo Bennett.

Why are some people so successful and others not? In a word: initiative. It’s nearly impossible to become successful without taking initiative. Doing so puts you in the driver’s seat. Thomas Edison and Steve Jobs never sat back and waited to be told what to do. They took the initiative to manifest their vision and changed the world in the process.

I recently lost a team member who was incredible when it came to taking initiative. When I brought her in on a project I knew that she would do whatever it took to make it a success. We are now in the process of trying to find a replacement and it is becoming a monumental task. As an employee, it’s easy to keep your head down, do what you are told and collect a paycheck. That doesn’t help you get ahead, it just keeps you temporarily employed. Here’s the thing: it’s not difficult to find people to take orders. It’s very difficult to find someone that takes initiative. If business slows down and you’re forced to reduce head count, the last person standing is the one that takes initiative. They’re the lifeblood of the organization.

Lack of initiative is stagnation. In business once you stop innovating and accept the status quo, those competitors with initiative will ultimately assume the leadership position.

If you are not the person taking initiative, you are allowing someone else to take ownership. This position puts you one step away from victimhood. Victims blame others for their problems and in doing so relinquish all of their power. Taking initiative puts you in control of your own destiny.

Encourage your children to take initiative. We all want our kids to be successful. If you inspire them to take initiative throughout their formative years they are more apt to carry that competency into adulthood. Every person who has made a difference in the world took initiative to do it.

Look across the various aspects of your life and ask yourself a simple question: Am I being proactive or reactive? If you find yourself being reactive, step up and take initiave. In the words of Victor Hugo, “initiative is doing the right thing without being told.”

 

Posted by Joel Brookman in success and tagged initiative.

 

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