Warwick Castle has a long and colourful history. The original wooden motte-and-bailey castle, built by William the Conqueror in 1068, was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. Attacked, besieged, and hit by fire the Castle survived the ever-changing fortunes of history. It remained under the stewardship of the Earls of Warwick and later the Greville family as a private home until 1978. The ancestors of my in-laws worked at the castle as blacksmiths. To have been any good at their work they will have been well practised at ‘striking while the iron is hot’.
This expression, first recorded around 1566, uses the imagery of the blacksmith at his forge. If there is a delay in shaping the iron when it is hot and pliable the metal soon cools and hardens and the opportunity is lost. For the blacksmith, this is about ‘timing’ it just right. But there is something more fundamental going on here. It is not by luck that this moment occurs. It is only after a series of deliberate actions – lighting the fire, stoking it, heating the metal, picking up the hammer that the moment can be seized. The blacksmith takes the initiative, manages the process, and arrives at that point where the iron can be struck and effectively shaped.
The two essentials for effective communication
If you and I are to be effective communicators we must follow the example of the blacksmith and excel at two particular things - taking the initiative and managing the process (of communication). The word ‘initiative’ is being used here in the sense of ‘the power to originate something’, a usage dating from the late 1700s.
Get equipped to overcome the obstacles
There are a number of obstacles which might prevent us taking the initiative and managing the process, but none of the following should defeat us as their lack can all be overcome:
inertia or motivation / clear goal with smart steps
confidence / renewed sense of ability
knowledge of the communication process / learning
skills / practice
creativity / repeated application and imagination
awareness of the situation / sensitivity and watchfulness
Reasons to help
Taking the initiative will help overcome lack of confidence
Taking the initiative may help associate you with success (of course the opposite is true - but if you do nothing you'll never be associated with success!)
Failure to recognise your own role of leadership, an originator (it's more than being the 'top person'
What does it take …?
When taking the initiative be prepared to be creative, do things differently, find new solutions to be more effective
Taking the initiative could involve doing more than is required of you
Taking the initiative means assessing risks
Taking the initiative may involve thinking outside the box
Taking the initiative might mean tackling new skills and refining your abilities
Taking the initiative means asking questions - interrogating systems and procedures
An awareness of the situation
Taking the initiative rests on broad research and adequate facts
Benefits –
Taking the initiative means thinking about the greater good
Act decisively and take your opportunities when they arise.
When you have an opportunity to do something, do it before you lose your chance.
to do something immediately while you have a good chance of achieving success
take action immediately in order to have a better chance of success
Take advantage of favorable conditions
According to Anush Konstanyan, a writer and blogger, "Initiative and creativity move the world. They foster the realisation of innovative ideas in various industries and contribute to constant development. There is a great demand for energetic professionals who are inventive and enterprising enough to be proactive in everything they do."
Anush Konstanyan - Leadership professional, HuffPost Blogger, Freelance writer