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8/14/2019 Initiative is the Identity of True Winner - Chandramowly
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In the process of a competencymodelling project, I was inter-acting with a business group.We were capturing some keybehaviours of managers ofthat organisation, that com-
prehend as central to achieve their
business goals. The phrased behav-iours were grouped in different clus-ters to align with organisations busi-ness vision and strategy.
We put all these pieces in relevantclusters. When I looked at a cluster,which took in maximum inputs asmany as 25 behavioural phrases, weagreed that it is pointing towards amajor competency cluster. All the par-ticipant managers felt that these be-haviours are a must to achieve suc-cess.I present them here:
Acts in a way seeking more effec-tive ways to do a job, Carries out ex-pected job without supervision,Proactively takes steps to identify
problems, Sees what needs to bedone and acts on it , Quickly recog-nises crisis and acts instantly,Takes persistent action to overcomeobstacles to objectives, Acts on sig-nals to create opportunities, Seizesopportunities to independently re-
solve complex issues, Develops anorganisational culture to do whatneeds to be done without guidanceand supervision and many more.
Developing a definition
As we need to name the cluster byidentifying a common element thatflows through all these, we initiallycalled it as: Signals to arise action.On further discussion, we renamedthe competency cluster as initia-tive, which was identified as a keycompetency for the group success.
Reviewing and analysing the in-puts captured during the workshop,definition of initiative was finally
scripted. The competency initiativeis proactively doing things. Movingwith an inner drive to get and setthings in right direction without be-ing asked and reminded. It is the abil-ity to identify, address, think and acton current or future problems, needsor opportunities. What do we do withthis definition?
Competency linked to people
It acts as a guideline for recruit-ment to hire people who display thiscompetency. The expanded definitionwith behavioural indicators arelinked to processes of performance
appraisal, succession planning, gapanalysis, assessment and trainingand development. This system on im-plementation will ensure build thecompetency throughout the organisa-tion,which is considered as central tobusiness success.
How to develop competency?
In this perpetually competingbusiness world, organisations lookout for people who display the compe-tency initiative. They need peoplewho are prepared to experiment, trythings, take calculated risks andachieve results. Not those who wait tobe told to do somethingand wait pas-
sively for guidance before doing any-thing. They want managers whowould see and seize opportunities andmake things happen, creating a posi-tive difference.Managers who identi-fy problems and donot think aboutthem are not in demand. There aremany snake reporters but snake
catchers are few. If some one wantsto develop this competency initia-tive, it is worth looking at a simplemodel developed by Stephen Covey.
Coveys seven levels
Dr Covey defines a continuum ofseven levels of initiative. At thelowest level people wait until told.Some open up and ask. There aresome more who move a bit to make arecommendation. Few express thatthey intend to do. Very few do it andreport immediately. Above this levelare some people who do it and period-ically report. Finally the smartones just do it.
1. Wait until toldThey just wait for instruc-tions and their mind alwayslie outside their jobs. Theydo not ask or question. Theyfall into the trap of codepen-dency that spawns five emo-tional cancers: criticising,complaining, comparing,competing and contenting.
While competition in amarketplace and sports set-ting is worth than in relation-ships and work teams where itis damaging,one must be bilin-gual of competition inside themarket place and co-operate insidethe workplace to avoid single minded
danger that Maslow observed, Hethat is good with the hammer tend tothink everything is nail.
2.Ask
It would be reasonable to ask a log-ical question about something withinyour job or things over which youhave control or influence. You cannotdo much about things, which are notunder your control.But if some exter-nal factors affect your job, and if youask an intelligent question after thor-ough analysis and careful thinking, itmay some time influence on things,which are not under your control.
3. Make a recommendation
Never tell people what to do, and
they will surprise you with their inge-nuity (general patton). One can takedecisions on things, which are underhis control,but can only make recom-mendations on things, which lie out-side our job orbit.
Covey cites a beautiful illustrationfrom military five-step recommenda-
tion doctrine:nAnalyse the problemnCome up with alternative and
recommended solutionsnDevelop recommended steps to
execute the solutionsn Incorporate an awareness of all
realities (political, social, economiccompetencies)nMake a recommendation in a
way that only requires approval andsignature.
4. I intend to doThis step is one notch higher than
initiative. Some employees come for-ward and would say I intend to dothis I intent to take this action.Then their manager may say verywell. The approval may be a key deci-sion by the boss, which is only five percent of the iceberg - the other 95 percent of the decision is made withoutinvolving the boss.
When you say, I intend to do thisyou have done more work than mak-ing a recommendation. You are fullyprepared to carryout the action once
it is approved. You have not only pro-vided a solution to the problem butyou are also ready to implement it.
5. Do it and report immediately
When you do this,you would be onthe outside orbit of your influenceand control, but within your own joblimits. But you report immediately
since others need to know.It enables you to see if everything
was done correctly and allows you tomake timely corrections if necessary.It also provides information neededby others to take certain decisions orto start executing things, which needsome input through your report.
6. Do it and report periodicallyThis level of initiative pertains to
actions that could be part of self-eval-uation of performance on a formal re-port. This brings clarity about thealignment of your actions with yourjob responsibilities, scope and influ-
ence.Other can use this informa-
tion to link up with the chainof activities to reach a biggerobjective.
7. Do itThere is a greater power
in the idea of taking respon-sibility and just doing it -making it happen. Whensomething is right at thecentre of your orbit of influ-ence and the core of your
job description, you just doit, says Dr Covey.
Take action
As Tom Peters puts it, Onecan take an initiative in some way
or the other, irrespective of what is-
sue, problem or concern one has. Itcalls for doing something in the situ-ation.
Taking initiative requires some vi-sion, effort and some standard to bemet. It requires a discipline to do.Nobody cares! Nobody is watching!Youre on your own! You can get yourhands dirty, make mistakes, takerisks,and perform miracles! ...
The writer is a former corporate VicePresident - Human Resources and cur-rently HRD and leadership competencybuilding consultant, and can be contact-ed at: [email protected]
Todays competitive world is on the look out forpeople who move with an inner drive to executean action and get things done, which is apt forthe circumstance or a challenge, without beingasked or reminded writes MR Chandramowly.
InitiativInitiative is the identity of a true winnere is the identity of a true winner
