|
You may have seen that there is always a hesitation when it comes
to being the first one to do something. The ‘something’ may be a trivial
job like handing over a finished answer sheet, leaving a place where you
are part of a group or something major like suggesting a new project in
your workplace and assuming responsibility for the same. Once some takes
the lead, for example when one person gets up to hand in his answer sheet,
then the others feel comfortable doing the same. Why does this
happen?
Self
consciousness
The hesitation and reluctance involved in
taking the initiative are because a person is too conscious of himself or
herself. This feeling should be relegated to the background consciously.
Try to develop a mindset wherein if you are sure about something you just
go ahead and do it, not waiting for another person to show you the
way.
Seize the right
moment
Once the
hesitation is out of the way, you are on your way to becoming the one who
takes the initiative. The next step
is to know when to take the initiative. You need to develop the knack of
being able to seize the right moment to take the initiative and lead the
way. Whenever you come face to face with such an opportunity, assess
yourself and analyse whether you will be able to perform satisfactorily.
See whether you have adequate time at your disposal. Then take stock of the resources you
have at your disposal. If you feel you can handle the situation well,
plunge into it and do your best. The result is bound to be rewarding.
Do you have the
right mindset?
The right mindset that you
should have is to be open and perceptive towards sensing a situation where
you can take the initiative. You should always be on the lookout for such
opportunities and grab them with both hands as soon as possible. Always
attempt to look at situations from different perspectives. A change of
perception could throw open a host of opportunities.
Obstacles – how to handle
them
Whenever you are taking the initiative, you will be treading a
path that has not been used before. Therefore, you are bound to encounter
obstacles that you are not prepared for. What you need to arm yourself
with is the attitude to think of ways to surmount the blockage. It would
be a good idea to visualise the task that you are about to perform and
then ponder on the possible hurdles. This way you will be prepared with
some solutions that you can modify according to the need of the
situation.
Keep an open
mind
You should always be receptive to ideas
that you see and hear. This way, you will be exposed to new ideas that can
be tailored and then implemented in your own surroundings. This attitude
will give you food for thought and enable you to create opportunities for
taking the initiative.
Involve your team
As a trailblazer, you are bound to have
several people following the path you have set. Do not, however, be rigid.
Be encouraging and open to new ideas and try to incorporate them if they
are worthwhile.
Volunteer for assignments and you will find no dearth of
opportunities. And as you develop your initiative, you will find many
people following your example. | 
