Proactiveness, Initiative and Creativity Self Evaluation Comments

Proactiveness, initiative and creativity are essential skills that are highly valued in the workplace. They are often considered as the driving forces behind innovation, problem-solving, and growth. However, assessing your own level of initiative and creativity can be a challenging task, especially when it comes to providing self-evaluation comments.

When evaluating your initiative, it is important to consider your ability to take action, make decisions, and drive results. For example, you might reflect on a time when you took the initiative to start a new project, propose a new idea, or take on additional responsibilities. You can also think about how you approach challenges and obstacles, and whether you are proactive or reactive in your problem-solving.

When evaluating your creativity, you should consider your ability to generate new ideas, think outside the box, and come up with innovative solutions. You might reflect on a time when you developed a new process, improved an existing product, or found a creative solution to a complex problem. It is also important to consider how you approach creativity, whether you are open-minded, curious, and willing to take risks.

What is Initiative?

Initiative is the ability to take charge of a situation and make things happen: being proactive, taking responsibility, and showing leadership skills. Initiative means being able to identify problems, come up with solutions, and take action to implement those solutions.

What is Creativity?

Creativity is the ability to come up with new and innovative ideas: thinking outside the box, looking at things from different perspectives, and being open to new possibilities. Creativity means being able to generate original and imaginative solutions to problems.

How to Assess Your Initiative and Creativity

To assess your initiative and creativity, you can ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I take responsibility for my work and show leadership skills?
• Am I able to identify problems and come up with workable solutions?
• Do I think outside the box and look at things from different perspectives?
• Am I able to generate new and innovative ideas?
• Do I take calculated risks and show a long-term vision?
• Am I able to communicate effectively with coworkers and stakeholders?
• Am I responsive, responsible, and practical in my approach to work?

Examples of positive comments

1. I consistently look for ways to improve processes and procedures, often coming up with innovative solutions that save time and resources.
2. I am not afraid to take on new challenges and have a track record of successfully completing projects that were outside of my comfort zone.
3. I am always thinking outside the box and coming up with creative ideas to solve problems and improve outcomes.
4. I take the initiative to seek out feedback and constructive criticism from others in order to continuously improve my work.
5. I am proactive in identifying potential obstacles and developing contingency plans to address them before they become major issues.
6. I am constantly seeking out new learning opportunities and pushing myself to expand my knowledge and skill set.
7. I am not afraid to challenge the status quo and suggest new approaches to doing things.
8. I am skilled at identifying and capitalizing on opportunities for growth and development, both for myself and for my team.
9. I am adept at balancing competing priorities and finding creative solutions to meet all of my obligations.
10. I take ownership of my work and am always looking for ways to add value to the organization.
11. I am comfortable with ambiguity and thrive in situations that require creativity and flexibility.
12. I am skilled at collaborating with others to generate new ideas and approaches.
13. I am able to think critically and strategically, identifying the root causes of problems and developing effective solutions.
14. I am comfortable with risk and am willing to take calculated risks in order to achieve ambitious goals.
15. I am skilled at adapting to changing circumstances and am comfortable with pivoting when necessary.
16. I am able to balance short-term needs with long-term goals and am skilled at developing and executing plans that achieve both.
17. I am able to effectively communicate my ideas and vision to others, inspiring them to get on board with my initiatives.
18. I am skilled at identifying and leveraging the strengths of others in order to achieve shared goals.
19. I am comfortable with failure and am able to learn from my mistakes in order to improve my future performance.
20. I am able to maintain a positive attitude and stay motivated even in challenging or uncertain situations.

Examples of comments that indicate a need for improvement

Example (Paragraph)

“I believe that I have a strong track record of taking initiative and demonstrating creativity in my work. I am not afraid to take on new challenges and have successfully completed projects that were outside of my comfort zone. I consistently look for ways to improve processes and procedures, often coming up with innovative solutions that save time and resources. However, I recognize that there is always room for improvement. I could benefit from seeking out feedback and constructive criticism more often in order to improve my work, and I recognize that I could benefit from seeking out new learning opportunities to expand my knowledge and skill set. Overall, I am committed to continuing to develop my initiative and creativity in order to add value to the organization and achieve ambitious goals.”

Phrases to Use:

Here are some phrases you can use in your self-evaluation comments to demonstrate your initiative and proactiveness:

• “I took the initiative to…” – use this phrase to describe specific actions you took to improve a process or solve a problem.
• “I proactively…” – to describe how you took action to prevent a problem from occurring or to improve a situation before it became a problem.
• “I identified an opportunity to…” – to describe how you identified a potential improvement or opportunity and took action to make it happen.
• “I demonstrated flexibility by…” – to describe how you adapted to changing circumstances or took on new responsibilities to help your team or organization.

Self-evaluation comments should be specific and measurable, focusing on actions taken rather than vague generalizations. For example, instead of saying “I am proactive,” you could say “I regularly take the initiative to identify and address potential problems before they become major issues.”

It’s also important to recognize that being proactive doesn’t mean taking on too much or overextending oneself. It’s about finding the right balance and being strategic in one’s actions. For instance, you could say “I prioritize my tasks and take initiative on important projects, while also delegating tasks when appropriate.”

Tips for Writing Effective Self-Evaluation Comments

• Be specific: Use concrete examples to illustrate your points. This will help you demonstrate your proactiveness and show how you have taken initiative in your work.
• Be honest: Don’t exaggerate your accomplishments or make false claims. Instead, focus on the things you have actually done to demonstrate your initiative and proactiveness.
• Use active voice: Write your self-evaluation comments in the active voice. This will help you demonstrate your proactiveness and show how you have taken initiative in your work.
• Use casual vocabulary: Use language that is easy to understand and avoid using jargon or technical terms that may be unfamiliar to your reader.