Ask a manager what they want from their employees, and one answer comes up again and again: Take more initiative. But what does taking initiative at work actually look like?
It is easy to define initiative as simply “doing something without being asked.” Our research suggests it is much broader than that.
At Zenger Folkman, we analyzed assessments from more than 15,000 individual contributors, gathering feedback from the people who worked with them—including their managers and colleagues.
We specifically examined employees who were highly effective at taking initiative: people who offered ideas and assistance without being asked, prevented important work from falling through the cracks, and recommended solutions when they encountered problems.
Then we asked a different question: What else do the best initiative-takers consistently do? Six behaviors stood out.
What Does Taking Initiative at Work Mean?
Taking initiative at work means recognizing what needs to be done and taking responsible action without waiting for someone else to provide every instruction.
But effective initiative isn’t simply doing more work.
The most effective individual contributors use judgment. They anticipate what is coming, recognize opportunities for improvement, involve other people when appropriate, and take responsibility for making the work better.
Our research identified six behaviors that distinguish employees who are especially effective at doing this.
1. They Anticipate Problems Before They Happen
One of the strongest signs of initiative is the ability to look ahead. Most of us are good at creating a plan. Far fewer of us stop and ask: “What could go wrong?”
Employees who take initiative don’t wait for a foreseeable problem to become an urgent one. They consider potential obstacles, dependencies, delays, and unintended consequences before they occur.
Instead of asking only, “What needs to happen next?” they also ask:
- What could prevent this from working?
- Where are we most likely to get stuck?
- Who else will be affected?
- What can I do now to prevent a problem later?
Initiative often happens long before anyone else realizes action is needed.
2. They Use Good Judgment When Making Decisions
Taking initiative does not mean making every decision independently.
In fact, one mistake employees can make when trying to demonstrate initiative is assuming they need to solve difficult problems alone. Highly effective contributors know when to act independently and when involving others will produce a better result.
They seek perspectives from people who have information or expertise they don’t possess. That does more than improve the quality of a decision. It can also create greater understanding and support for whatever happens next.
Good initiative combines action with judgment.
The question isn’t simply, “Can I make this decision myself?”
A better question is, “Who should be involved to help us make the best decision?”
How to Take Initiative at Work Without Overstepping
One reason people hesitate to take initiative is the fear of overstepping.
Should I just fix the problem? Should I ask my manager first? Am I helping—or am I getting involved in something that isn’t my responsibility?
Our research points to an important distinction:
Taking initiative doesn’t mean acting without input. It means knowing when to act and when to involve others.
The most effective initiative-takers combine action with good judgment.
Before moving forward, ask yourself three questions:
- Is this within my responsibility or authority? If it clearly falls within your role, you may not need to wait for someone to tell you what to do.
- Who will be affected by this decision? If your action changes someone else’s work, priorities, resources, or responsibilities, involving them early can prevent unnecessary problems.
- Would another perspective improve the decision? Asking for input isn’t a failure to take initiative. Sometimes seeking out the right expertise is the initiative.
There is a significant difference between saying, “What should I do?” and saying, “Here’s the problem I see, here’s what I recommend, and here are the people I think we should involve.”
The second approach demonstrates both initiative and judgment.
This is especially important for individual contributors. You don’t need formal authority to identify a problem, develop a recommendation, or move an idea forward. But you do need enough judgment to recognize where your authority ends and collaboration should begin.
The goal isn’t to act without permission. It’s to become someone others trust to act wisely.
3. They Recognize When Something Needs to Change
Organizations can become remarkably tolerant of inefficient processes. A procedure may take too long. A report may no longer provide much value. A hand off may create the same problem every week.
And yet everyone keeps doing it because:
“That’s how we’ve always done it.”
Employees who demonstrate initiative notice these patterns.
They don’t assume that an established process is necessarily an effective process. They identify unnecessary friction and look for ways to improve how the work gets done. That doesn’t mean challenging every rule or constantly demanding change.
It means being willing to ask:
“Is there a better way?”
Sometimes initiative isn’t starting something new. It’s having the courage to stop doing something that no longer works.
4. They Set an Example Others Want to Follow
Initiative is also demonstrated through everyday behavior.
Showing up prepared. Following through on commitments. Helping a colleague who is struggling. Maintaining a constructive attitude when things become difficult. Taking responsibility rather than waiting for someone else to step in.
None of these actions is particularly dramatic.
That is precisely why they matter.
People who consistently set a positive example influence the standards of the people around them—even when they don’t have a leadership title.
This is an important lesson for individual contributors:
You don’t need to manage people to influence how people work.
Leadership behaviors often begin long before someone receives a leadership position.
5. They Establish High Standards of Excellence
Early in my career, I worked with an older colleague who would occasionally finish a project that wasn’t particularly good and say:
“That’s good enough for government work.”
It was his humorous way of rationalizing work that he knew wasn’t his best. People who take initiative tend to operate differently. They don’t need a manager constantly reminding them about quality. They establish high standards for their own work and encourage others to do the same. This doesn’t mean perfectionism.
It means asking:
“Is this the best work we can reasonably produce?”
The difference is important.
Employees who demonstrate initiative aren’t merely completing assignments. They take ownership of the outcome.
6. They Spot Trends, Problems, and Opportunities Early
There is an irony in working hard. Sometimes we become so focused on completing the work in front of us that we stop looking around. Heads-down execution can make us productive—but it can also make us less observant. Highly effective initiative-takers periodically lift their heads.
They notice:
- emerging problems,
- changing customer expectations,
- new technologies,
- inefficient processes,
- shifts in the market,
- and opportunities others haven’t recognized yet.
They aren’t simply asking, “How do I finish this?”
They’re also asking:
“Is there a better way to accomplish what we’re trying to achieve?”
That shift from execution to observation can turn an effective employee into an exceptional contributor.
Why Is Taking Initiative Important at Work?
Our research suggests that initiative isn’t one isolated behavior. It is connected to a broader pattern of effectiveness.
The strongest initiative-takers don’t simply volunteer for more assignments. They anticipate, exercise judgment, improve processes, model effective behavior, maintain high standards, and recognize opportunities early.
That distinction matters for employee development. Telling someone, “You need to show more initiative,” isn’t particularly useful feedback.
What should they actually do differently tomorrow?
Development becomes much more actionable when we can identify the specific behaviors behind an important capability.
An employee might need to become better at anticipating problems. Another may need to raise their standards. Someone else may execute extremely well but rarely step back to identify opportunities for improvement. Those are very different development needs.
Can Employees Learn to Take More Initiative?
Yes—and this may be the most important implication for organizations.
Initiative shouldn’t be viewed simply as a personality trait that some employees possess and others don’t. Many of the behaviors associated with effective initiative can be observed, practiced, discussed, and developed.
Start by asking yourself:
Where do I currently wait for someone else to act?
Then consider the six behaviors:
- Do I anticipate problems before they occur?
- Do I use good judgment and involve others when appropriate?
- Do I recognize when existing processes need to change?
- Do my daily behaviors set a positive example?
- Do I maintain high standards for my work?
- Do I notice emerging problems and opportunities early?
You probably don’t need to improve all six. Finding the one or two behaviors that would most increase your effectiveness is a much better place to start.
Employee Development Should Begin Before Someone Becomes a Leader
Organizations often invest heavily in development once someone becomes a manager.
But by then, they may have spent years as an individual contributor with little objective feedback about how they work, where they excel, or which behaviors would most increase their impact.
Our research on individual contributors points to a significant opportunity: development doesn’t need to wait for promotion.
Employees can learn to understand their strengths, identify behaviors that increase their effectiveness, and build the skills that help them make a greater contribution right now.
And taking initiative is an excellent example.
The employee who learns to anticipate problems, recognize opportunities, exercise sound judgment, and improve the work around them isn’t merely preparing for a future leadership role.
They’re becoming more valuable in the role they have today.
Develop Extraordinary Individual Contributors
Zenger Folkman’s Extraordinary You™ was created to bring research-based development to the employees who drive an organization’s performance every day.
Rather than waiting until someone becomes a manager to invest in their development, Extraordinary You helps individual contributors understand how others experience their performance, identify the strengths that can increase their impact, and create a focused plan for growth.
Because extraordinary organizations don’t just develop their leaders.
