PEOPLE who are self-driven will always find ways to improve themselves, either in the way they do work, or how they do work with their colleagues. There will be times when you will be called to step up and do more than what is required of your position—either because your manager trusts that you can do the work, or they are testing if you are willing to take up the challenge. But even before it comes to that, if you are passionate about your work, you will find ways to initiate improvements in the same.
Taking initiative means doing more than what is expected from your position. If people have to spell out what you need to do based on your position, you are not doing well at all. You take initiative for work that you have the option not to do but out of your own personal motivations, you do them anyway. This shows to your colleagues that you are a valuable member of the team, and assures your manager that you are dependable and trustworthy. Because if you can be trusted with little things, you can be trusted with more.
So how do you develop that willingness to act and step up to more responsibilities? The first thing you need to do is to find your motivation. Why do you do the things you do? Most people find motivation to go beyond what is required of their position because they want to be promoted and have the financial remuneration that goes with it. There are some who help others because they genuinely want to help, and they understand that all members of the team contribute to its success. And in order to maximize the potential of the team, they know that they need to help others.
Next, look at problems as opportunities for improvement. Some people often give up in the face of issues in the office and just fall back on “that is how it has always been done.” Some, however, look at those issues as opportunities to improve on processes and tools in order to avoid future issues. Look at your work and ask yourself: How can I do this better? That will give you ideas of what you can do to improve your work. You can also observe the top performers in your team and follow their lead. Look at how they make decisions and implement their ideas. Adopt what you can but be mindful that their ways may be based on their personality more than their skill. If you think you are performing as well as the top performers, ask your manager what you can do to improve your skills to become a top performer and, if possible, find a mentor who can show you how it is done. While it is good to have a healthy understanding of your own skills, you always need another person to validate and objectively evaluate you.
Start participating in discussions and let your voice be heard. Especially in Filipino culture, you need to speak up to be perceived as someone with good ideas. You need to volunteer your ideas and throw in a question or two to challenge assumptions and offer your recommendations. You cannot just say there is a problem and let the team work it out. You need to proactively recommend solutions and, if possible, their concomitant pros and cons.
There are numerous opportunities where you can show initiative. You can ask to be in charge of new projects. You can start small and work your way up to big projects. Just make sure that you are up to the task and your motivations are in the right place because additional work entails more time and effort from you. You can start by orienting new team members. This helps you fine-tune your understanding of your team’s tools and processes, and can help you find opportunities for improving them.
You can also ask for training opportunities and do an echo session of what you have learned. This helps you develop your skills and at the same time showcases to your supervisor and team that you are willing to learn and use lessons from such training to improve how your team does its work.
Help out when a colleague needs assistance. You do not actually have to wait for your team member to fail and you do not have to put it on paper. A quick chat with your colleague that you are willing to help out when needed goes a long way in assuring them and shows to your supervisor that you can be depended on during crunch time.
Make your manager look good. Your work is to make your manager seem like they are not doing anything. Of course, this does not mean that you get all the work from your manager. It means taking those that you can do so that your manager can focus on more important things. Just as you are answerable to them, they are also answerable to their bosses who have to deal with more difficult issues and decisions to make. By offloading your manager from some of their work, you are also showing them that you are ready for more responsibilities.
Build your network. Knowing key people in the organization unlocks doors of opportunities for your team to collaborate with other departments. Volunteer to get involved in cross-functional projects or even ask to tag along with your manager as an observer. Knowing how other departments work in the organization helps you tap others when you need their help, and helps bypass the bureaucracy to get your work done efficiently.
Stepping up does not always mean taking on a new role or position. It can also mean the little things you do everyday to improve the way you do work and how you help others improve what they are doing. It is looking at work as not just your own, but the collective effort of your team. So when you step up, you are not just lifting yourself, but you also improve the lives of those around you.
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