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Are you a self-starter?

I can say without exception that every effective leader wants "self-starters" to work with, and for them.

It is literally the Holy Grail for employers who want to drive their organisations on a sustainable growth trajectory. But self-starter types are far and few in between. 

So, at your workplace, if you develop and nurture this trait, you will, undoubtedly, become truly valuable.

The most significant skill that self-starter have is their ability to autonomously identify solutions. Companies often seek people like this, to build efficient teams who can complete tasks, and achieve goals. I know that my most coveted team members are capable of this. 

Self-starters take the initiative, and can work independently, or at least with minimal supervision.  Other employees might stumble without having enough instruction, but a self-starter springs into action, asks the right questions, and formulates a plan on their own. They always take ownership of their own success.

They typically are self-motivated, suitably confident with their own skills, display admirable ambition, and show strong resilience. 

Motivation comes when you feel compelled to act at the workplace without requiring additional urging from your bosses. Confident people trust their intuition about the actions they take at work, and as a result, they complete tasks without unnecessary deliberation, and self-doubt.

Self-starters are ambitious professionals, who are single-minded on setting, and achieving goals. They will also know how, and when to set goals that challenge them. And, they are skilled at moving past obstacles, and find alternative solutions to accomplish their objectives. Their resilient nature allows them to adapt to change, and gives them the capacity to revise personal processes to improve efficiency.

How do you become a "self-starter?"

Begin by learning to embrace challenges. While most employee shun a new challenge, the most valuable self-starter in your team will gladly test their abilities to the max, and excel at breaching their own limits. They will show resourcefulness at navigating complex assignments. If you demonstrate your desire for more experience, and showcase your confidence, your line leaders will begin to notice you. 

Be comfortable with discomfort. The most ambitious and motivated employees understand that their desire to grow means that they may feel uncomfortable with unusual tasks. By working past discomfort, you reveal that you are resilient and adaptable.

So, volunteer for new opportunities. Offer to lead projects, bite the bullet and make that presentation to your board of directors, and ideate new methods for doing things better at your workplace. 

Next, hold yourself to higher standard and set greater personal expectations. 

Self-starters consistently raise expectations for themselves and consequently, their teams. Therefore, stay focused on meeting the goals you set for yourself. And once do this repeatedly, you will naturally begin to demand more from yourself, and your team. And in turn, this improves your productivity and you will start achieving bigger results. 

Then, approach problems with a sense of belief, not disbelief. Self-starters habitually replace doubts with confident thoughts and keep track of their accomplishments. When you concentrate on the favourable outcomes you have had, you gain the ability to channel higher levels of self-assurance and proficiency into any task you handle. When you focus on the "failures" you have had, and do not learn from them, you set yourself up again and again for the same outcome. 

One way I did this, when I was starting off my career, was to always break large goals into manageable chunks. They are relatively less intricate, and when I achieved them, I always celebrated these small wins. This changes your mindset, and literally re-wires your thought processes to consistently be self-assured.

Always remember that no one achieved anything significant without working effectively with other people. So, self-starters become aware of their strengths, and augment their shortcomings by seamlessly collaborating with team members. 

In my businesses, whilst I might make the final choice on major decisions, I remind myself to engage with my team, encourage autonomy, and try to gain a consensus before I push on with a direction. Arguably, for entrepreneurs, this is one of the hardest skills to develop. But nonetheless, it is probably the most valuable one.  

And, finally be a risk-taking problem solver. Embrace new challenges but always stay centred on your problem solving abilities. This requires you to be able think unconventionally. This skill will come when you have an open mind, and are able to entertain new ideas. 

Learn to listen with the aim of understanding, and forget wanting to be seen as "being right" all the time. Instead, have a deep desire to always "win." Self-starters know the value of being a winner, and the overrated nature of being content with being right.   

Are you a "self-starter?"

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