23 January 2006

What is Initiative?

and does it mattter? Isn't ignorance bliss? Yes and No.

These are my asnswers... I think that once in a while, one must show initiative in order to not only improve as an individual but to also contribute to whatever you are doing (work, home, etc.). Once in a while, you must take it upon yourself to do something that you are not asked to do... Because I sincerely believe that doing the minimum in life is not enough. That we are not put on earth to just live, breathe, eat, and reproduce. I believe in continuous self-improvement through continuous learning, and through continous trials (and sometimes failures, and that is sometimes how you really do learn).

Initiative also shows that one is not always asking you to do something. It's nice to be surprised and have someone offer you the help, without any expectations in return.

But the questions is, why do some have it and others not? I need to think about that... Your thoughts?

1 comment:

Napo said...

It's a matter of pure education, be it in school, home, university or at work. Initiative is taught, it is not inherent or genetic. Some cultures / environments promote initiative and thinking out of the box, others promote stagnation and sometimes lazyness, Unfortunately the majority of workers in tunis do have such attitude. They resist initiative, change and sometimes go above that by sanctioning or even sabotaging those who have it. I know a friend who works in the finance department of the ETAP who almost lost his job (ka3brouhelou) because he produced an Extra annual report that showed some discrepencie in previous reports !!! In North america, inititive is not only solicited and rewarded, but the lack thereof can a factor in employee dismissal.