Leadership Lessons- Part III: Initiative

(Originally Published 22 July, 2009)
In this series thus far, I've covered two important characteristics of leadership:

1. Focus- the ability to concentrate on the task at hand in order to complete it successfully, and


2. Urgency- the ability to complete the task at hand purposefully, diligently, and with the utmost patience.

In this post, I will discuss yet another important quality: Initiative.
Initiative is an important quality that every leader must learn to master in order to perform routine tasks and to resolve crisis situations. It is also a quality that should be cultivated and strengthened among his team. In order to do this, the following guidelines should be followed:

• Since conditions aren't always favorable for even the most seasoned leader or team, most successful tasks rely upon those who are willing to work to overcome obstacles persistently and with unyielding perserverance.


• An effective leader is not so much the product of his time as time is what he makes of it.


• One's initiative should neither be easily distracted, haphazard, or without purpose. Initiative can only be taken once he fully comprehends the intentions of those around him or when he knows what the circumstances demand of him.


• Excessive fear of the unknown is the most limiting factor in achieving one's full potential.


• Fate does not befall a person despite his action or lack thereof, but rather the person who fails to act relies almost entirely on fate.


• The person who makes a habit of hesitating to act upon his knowledge and experience is perhaps less valuable to those around him than the person who lacks the knowledge and experience to initiate action.


• Personal initiative is not a quality that people posess in equal volume. Therefore, an effective leader must learn to stimulate, redirect, or even on occasion restrain others.


• One's ambition is directly expressed by his initiative. This ambition should be properly expressed in actions that provide for the overall good of others.


• In times when one is granted substantial freedom to act on any given situation, he should do so without violating any laws or impeding on the basic rights of others.


• The greatest difference between insignificant and exceptional achievement is often a matter of how much enthusiasm and determination was exhibited in executing one's task.


• The leader who feels the need to control every action taken by the team destroys the team's will to take the initiative when he is not present.

Finally,

• By way of understanding, the success of difficult tasks, as well as the overall progress of our people, is often a result of the actions taken by those when action was necessary, and those who acted when others would not.

(Next: Lesson IV- Competence)