A post once trended on the internet about an email that was sent to a tech team about a problem, ending with “can somebody look into this?”. When an instruction such as this has been assigned to be done by everybody, everybody was sure that anybody would do it because anybody could have done it but no one is doing it. While it was everybody’s job, everybody thought that anybody could do it, but nobody realized that everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that everybody blamed somebody when nobody did what anybody could have done.
This scenario applies to most undergraduates who are getting ahead of themselves and that taking initiative isn’t enough to grow and prepare one for the work environment. These categories of students, often having the ‘I cant’ attitude, have justified themselves that they can grow slowly at their own pace and meet expected results. That perception leaves them significantly disconnected with the knowledge of inadequate preparation.”
While the market expectations for any graduate on the rise are having a semblance of skills and experience to take initiative, respond to pressure, to multi-task, and be energetic and passionate with a history of successful performance to function that will grow a company. It also requires graduates to have a working culture that supports organization’s goals and objectives inside and outside the company.
With the number of required skills on the rise in the workplace, undergraduates need to have a sense of initiative. That is, doing something that needs to be done without being told. Employers are looking for people who don’t stand around and wait for instructions. They want people with the right attitude, people who are willing to learn new skills and step up. In the workplace, people who do not take initiative are sometimes perceived to be fearful and lack confidence.
Yes, it is everybody’s responsibility to take initiative, to be responsible and responsive to the common concerns in the school and the workplace. Taking initiative, gives us a sense of accountability for whom we lead, what we’re in charge of or what we want to become. Take initiative and do something differently.