Word of the Month: Initiative

John was early to the office that morning. When he arrived, he noticed a very unstable ladder with a rather large bucket sitting on the top. This bucket also happened to be filled with soapy water. In order to get in to the front door, John had to go around the ladder.  Once he got to his office, John sat down at his desk and got ready to start his day.  A few minutes later, he heard a scream. Apparently, a co-worker had accidently bumped the ladder and the soapy water bucket dumped all over her! Had John taken some initiative and removed the bucket from the ladder and then moved the ladder out of the way, he could have spared his co-worker from a soapy water greeting.

For some, building initiative comes naturally. Yet for others, it is a learning process. There are five easy steps to take when building initiative:

·         Look for Needs – Take note of your surroundings and look for ways to make improvements.

·         Seize the Moment - You only have the present in which to act! When you see something you should do – start today!

·         Make the Team Successful - When you see unaddressed needs, do not assume someone else will take care of them. Bring it to the attention of your leaders, or address it yourself.

·         Think Ahead – Learn to recognize challenges before they become major problems.

·         Spend Time Wisely – Determine what priorities should take precedence, and balance your schedule so that you can do what you need to do.

Taking initiative can help you in reaching your goals in your own life.  John Wooden, a National Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, said, “The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch, get started, take action, move.”  How many times do we set goals for ourselves and yet never follow through and accomplish those goals? Building initiative will help achieve those personal goals and bring us success in our own lives.

RCI Insurance Group is working to build character as an Oklahoma business. Each month we work on a new character trait. Join us in building a community of character in Claremore and surrounding areas.  Whatever the task, put on the appropriate gloves and get to work. You will not finish unless you are willing to begin.