4 Ways To Lead With Initiative

After lunch today, I was in a hurry to get back to the office, and just placed my dishes on the counter rather than taking an extra few seconds to put them in the dishwasher.

When others pick up the slack and do too much for us, we lose what my parents called good old-fashioned initiative.

In a world full of opportunity, those who take initiative are the ones who truly thrive and shape the world. Taking initiative isn’t just about being proactive. It’s about seizing control of your life and career by seeing what needs to be done and stepping up before being asked.

Not only do those who take initiative solve the world’s problems, they breed growth, inspiration, and success around them. They are the true leaders in organizations.

Four ways to lead with initiative:

  1. Have a vision that serves the world beyond self-interest.
  2. Decide to be a giver rather than a taker. Stop waiting for permission. Look around for what needs doing and do it.
  3. Stay curious and continuously seek to learn.
  4. Decide to have a can-do attitude.