Why Showing Initiative at Work Can Lead to Bigger (and Better Things)

In recent blog posts, we’ve addressed the topic of being a team player and thinking of putting the customer first in just about everything that you do.
 
There’s a mindset that’s involved with doing this correctly. That mindset involves being proactive, and part of being proactive includes showing initiative.
 
The problem—or the perceived problem—is that showing initiative translates directly into more work. And as a general rule, people avoid more work. It’s been said that some people are like water. In other words, they “take the path of least resistance.”
 
The problem is that people who “take the path of least resistance” rarely excel at work to the point where they advance in the form of promotions. However, if you want to enjoy more success at your current job and also set yourself up for more career success and satisfaction, then you should consider showing more initiative.
 
To help with this, let’s engage in more visualization. In this instance, think about what it’s like to be your boss or another member of management at your employer. Would they be more likely to recognize and reward somebody who shows initiative often and volunteers when needed to get work done in order to complete projects and meet deadlines . . . or somebody who doesn’t do these things?
 
You probably already know the answer to that question.
 
Something else to keep in mind is that there are two ways to show initiative:
 

1. When your boss or another member of management points out a problem and asks for somebody to volunteer to help solve the problem, you step up and show initiative.
2. When you notice a problem that perhaps your boss or another member of management does not notice and you show initiative and take it upon yourself to do what is necessary to solve it.

 
You’ve probably heard somebody say, “That’s not my job” at some time or other during your career. Hopefully, you were not the person who uttered that phrase. If you’ve never said that phrase before, then good. But if you have, realize that it reflects the type of attitude that will help you stand out . . .
 
But not in a good way.
 
Last year, Time Staffing won ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their clients and candidates. ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the United States and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service and quality based entirely upon ratings provided by their clients and job candidates. Time Staffing received satisfaction scores of 9 out of 10 or 10 out of 10 from 75.4% of their placed talent, significantly higher than the industry’s average of 45%.
 
Contact us today to find out more about the employment opportunities that are available in your chosen field!.