What Does Taking the Initiative at Work Mean?

Showing initiative means that you begin to master your work environment and need less direction from others. You know what needs to be done and start on making those things happens. People sometimes feel that taking initiative means you should take on as many projects as possible but this isn't true. It means completing your job duties to their maximum without prompting from your boss and then moving onto new duties that indicate your quality to the workplace.

A few ways to show initiative are as follows:

Ask Questions: Ask questions about the projects you are completing.

Fulfill Your Duties Well: Make sure you complete all of your duties well.

Go Beyond Your Requirements: Fulfill your duties and go beyond the requirements to show your skill.

Help Others: When possible help others when they are behind.

Volunteer for Important Projects: When important projects arise that will showcase your abilities volunteer for them.

Passive vs. Active Ethics

Passive ethics teaches us what not to do through prohibitions while active ethics tells us what we should do. Ethics is a trust factor in society and without it the social relationships embedded in society begin to break down. Understanding the difference between the two helps us to understand when ethical behavior is above standards or part of standards.

When we are prohibited and we adhere to that prohibition we are passive. We must only NOT act on something to be ethical. We simply don't engage and show a level of self-control.

We may see this example with a group of people harassing another person. If you do not engage in such behavior you have fulfilled your ethical requirements in that situation.

While not acting is helpful it doesn't stop, thwart or change the behavior of others and is therefore passive and of a weaker form than the more aggressive active ethics.

Active ethics can create risk and harm to those seek to thwart wrongdoing and therefore requires a level of sacrifice. One must act beyond their personal well being for a greater good.

We may find this in an example of corruption or institutional wrongdoing where doing nothing and turning a blind eye means one did not participate but was aware such acts occurred. Once someone is aware than to fight against such corruption or stop it with one's own hand is a more risky proposition.

That risk puts the ethical act at a higher form than that which is seen by simply not engaging.

This problem can be compounded if both the institutions and the people who believe in those institutions have come to accept immoral and unethical behavior as part of their daily life and try and defend that life.

It is the first of such people who speak out that usually are inflicted with societal anger and punishment. Changing minds is a dangerous and difficult proposition.

When faced with an ethical dilemma a person must decide to engage in the immoral act, abstain or fight against it. The moral character and personal strength will determine which route someone will take.

Strong Negotiation Skills Lead to Organizational Health

Negotiation is part of life and becomes part of the very way in which we interact in the world. Whether we are negotiating for a raise, a new car, or even in relationships it is a strong skill to develop. According to a study published in the International Journal of Management there is a relationship between negotiation skills and organizational health (Jalilvand, 2015).

Organizational health can be assessed through a seven interaction model.

Institutional Level
-Institutional Integrity: Integrity of design and programing.

Administration Level
-Managers Reach: The ability to influence others up, down, and laterally.
-Considerate: Positive and friendly interactions
-Inducing Culture: Task orientation with appropriate standards.
-Resource Support: The organization has the resources needed to complete the work.

Technical Level
-Spirit: Employees have motivation and positive spirit towards work.
-Scientific: A logical and scientific approach to issues.

The study of 100 managers found that negotiation skills were associated with organizational health. When managers can negotiate they navigate their environment better to fulfill objectives and obtain needed resources. As an active social hive organizations that communicate well were also likely to be more effective and profitable than ones that were not.

Jalilvand, H. (2015). The relationship between negotation skills of managers and organizational health. International Journal of Management, Accounding & Economics, 2 (11).

Fitness Routines that Integrate into the Workplace

It can be hard to keep up with your fitness routine when you work from an office and don't have time to go to the gym. Some people live extremely busy lives and between work and family the hours zoom bye. The last thing they have time to do is exercise. However, there is a way to work out and enhance your work enjoyment.

Getting out of your chair every hour or so can do a lot for getting your blood moving. To put in a little workout for 5 to 10 minutes helps you improve your health. By the end of the work day you can have 30 to 60 minutes of good cardio exercise.

The additional benefit is that you can opt to use up a few of your breaks and walk the stairs, jumping jacks, push ups, sit-ups and even use a single weight to complete biceps, triceps, and chest strength training.

The additional advantage is that you learn to integrate fitness into your life and throughout your day. Like lots of other things it can be easier to take a few minutes out then take a lot of time out. Ten minutes at a time is way the heck easier than an hour of working out and 30 minutes of prep or drive time.

Exercise doesn't need to be difficult or tedious if you make it part of your life. Finding ways to encourage your routine through integration can be helpful in developing a healthy lifestyle. While some days will be excellent and some will be poor, at the end of the day you will feel better about yourself.

When Freedom of Speech Doesn't Apply to Facebook

Facebook can be hazardous to your career. I met up with some friends and all the drama was buzzing about public complainer. Multiple people were talking about privately and replying to a person's highly cynical comments. The message stated was, "I am tired of working at this job and not making any money...its getting old!" Even the owner of the business chimed in by the end of the night adding to the overall drama.

Social Media like Facebook and Snapchat are not free of risks. We can't simply post whatever we want, when we want it. There are social and financial consequences to freedom of speech. While we may be able to speak freely we are not free from the consequences of what we say.

In the case of our workplace complainer, people are wondering if he will still have a job in a few weeks. The owner and him are likely to have some disagreements now that his true sentiments are stated publically. Only time will tell if he will still have his job.

Freedom of speech is a powerful tool and should be used when there is a purpose beyond oneself. For example, helping people to learn, fighting against wrongdoing, public debate, and support for others are just a few of the reasons. Misdirecting ones anger and life choices onto another is wrong and a misuse of that freedom.

Lesson:

1. Freedom of Speech comes with responsibilities.
2. Social media is not a free for all to say anything.
3. People who chronically complain have low emotional intelligence and are toxic by nature.
4. We socially frown on people who complain all the time.

The Sound of Water and Nature's Rich Beauty

Hiking through the woods you will soon come across different rivers and pools. In the winter these can be particularly beautiful with ice crystal formation as the water solidifies. You will also notice an abundance of wild game tracks and the calming solitude of running water. 

Part of the beauty of being in the woods is that you are connected back to your beginning in a real way. Some places in the world, like the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, you can see the world in much the same way it was 100s of years ago when settlers cut their farms from the thousands of acres of untapped land. 

The Power of Emotions for Ethics and Action

Feelings are a perception of the world and help us see the world in new ways. According to a theorist Jean Paul Sartre, an Existentialist, emotions are an attempt to change our perception of the world. Understanding our emotional nature also helps use understand how we perceive the world around us. Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize and use emotions to enhance our perception.

When we are faced with a difficult situation our emotions kick in and adjust our perception of the problem. Emotions become part of a process of learning and create motivation to act on a particular problem. We may flea, fight, or begin to think about the issue until it is resolved. 

We may not completely understand a situation until we experience and feel emotions in a way that allows our perspective to change and see new solutions to current problems. The same process can occur in business or in our personal lives if we are open to seeing the problem from a new perspective.

It is also possible to argue that emotions are a deeply rooted ethical value system. When we care about a topic we will feel emotions which give us new paths to ponder. When we don't care at all we won't fell anything and will often lack insight. Emotions used effectively can help us determine our emotional stance and the appropriate way to act toward a situation in a constructive way. 

Emotions are our friend when we have the intelligence to understand where they come from, how they impact us as and in turn how they can enhance our perception if we use them appropriately. Emotions should not be ignored but encouraged and felt to determine what course of action is most appropriate given the ethical and personal dilemmas we may face.