Best examples of self-assessment examples of initiative for performance reviews

Strong examples of self-assessment examples of initiative you can adapt

Let’s skip the theory and start with what you actually need: clear, copy-ready phrases. Below are examples of self-assessment examples of initiative written in a way that managers, HR, and promotion committees understand.

You can tweak the numbers, tools, and outcomes to match your role, but keep the structure:

Action you initiated + why it mattered + measurable or visible result

Example of initiative: improving a broken process

Here’s how you might describe taking initiative to fix an inefficient workflow:

“I noticed our team was spending significant time manually compiling weekly status reports from multiple spreadsheets. Without being asked, I mapped the current process, identified duplicate steps, and proposed a simplified template in our project management tool. I created a pilot version, trained the team, and gathered feedback over four weeks. As a result, we reduced report preparation time by about 40% and improved on-time submissions from 70% to 95%.”

Why this works:

• It shows you noticed a problem without being prompted.
• You designed and tested a solution.
• You included specific results (time saved, on-time rate).

This is one of the best examples of self-assessment examples of initiative because it moves beyond “I suggested improvements” into clear, trackable impact.

Example of self-assessment initiative: upskilling without being asked

In 2024–2025, managers are paying close attention to employees who proactively build new skills, especially around AI and data. Research from organizations like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights ongoing demand for digital and analytical skills.

Here’s how to capture that:

“Recognizing our team’s growing use of AI tools and data dashboards, I took the initiative to complete two online courses in data visualization and prompt engineering outside of work hours. I then created short how-to guides tailored to our workflows and led two optional lunch-and-learn sessions. As a result, our team adopted standardized reporting dashboards, which reduced ad hoc data requests to our analysts by about 30% over the last quarter.”

This example of initiative shows:

• You anticipated future needs.
• You invested in your own development.
• You shared knowledge and improved the team’s efficiency.

Real examples of initiative: stepping up during change or crisis

Change, disruption, and “do more with less” have become the norm. Employers increasingly value people who run toward problems, not away from them. You can reflect that in your self-review like this:

“When our department experienced unexpected turnover, I volunteered to temporarily absorb key responsibilities from two open roles to maintain service levels. I documented the most time-sensitive tasks, prioritized them with my manager, and created a simple checklist so others could assist. This initiative allowed us to meet all client deadlines during a critical six-week period and gave leadership time to hire and onboard replacements without major disruption.”

Another variation:

“During a major system outage, I coordinated with IT, customer support, and operations to create a clear, updated FAQ for clients within two hours. I also organized a shared channel for real-time updates. This proactive communication helped reduce inbound tickets by an estimated 20% and maintained customer trust during the incident.”

These real examples of self-assessment examples of initiative highlight calm action under pressure, cross-team collaboration, and clear outcomes.

Examples include leading projects outside your job description

You don’t have to be a manager to lead. Some of the strongest examples of self-assessment examples of initiative come from people who quietly take ownership of projects that no one else is raising their hand for.

You might frame it like this:

“I noticed we didn’t have a consistent onboarding experience for new team members, which led to repeated questions and slow ramp-up times. I proposed creating a standardized onboarding checklist, drafted the content, and met with recent hires to incorporate their feedback. After rolling it out, new hires reported feeling productive one week earlier on average, and my manager has adopted the checklist across our broader group.”

Or, for a more technical role:

“Our code review process lacked clear standards, leading to inconsistent feedback and delays. On my own initiative, I reviewed best practices from sources like MIT’s open courseware and industry blogs, drafted a concise code review guideline, and facilitated a discussion with the engineering team to refine it. Since adopting the guidelines, our average review cycle time has decreased by about 25%, and developers report clearer expectations.”

These examples include ownership, research, collaboration, and measurable improvement.

Initiative in communication and stakeholder management

Initiative isn’t only about fixing systems; it’s also about proactively managing relationships and expectations. In many 2024–2025 performance frameworks, communication is a core competency, as highlighted by institutions like Harvard Business School.

Here’s a strong example of self-assessment examples of initiative focused on communication:

“I recognized that project stakeholders were often surprised by last-minute changes, which created frustration and rework. Without being prompted, I introduced a biweekly stakeholder update email summarizing project status, upcoming milestones, risks, and decisions needed. I created a simple template, gathered input from project leads, and sent the updates consistently for three quarters. Stakeholder satisfaction scores in our internal survey improved from 3.4 to 4.2 out of 5, and we saw fewer urgent change requests.”

Another version for a customer-facing role:

“Noticing recurring questions from clients about our pricing structure, I collaborated with sales and finance to create a clear, client-friendly pricing FAQ. I then shared it with the team and suggested including it in all new proposals. This initiative reduced repetitive clarification emails and helped shorten our average sales cycle by approximately one week.”

These best examples of initiative show that you’re not just doing your tasks—you’re thinking about how information flows and how to make life easier for others.

Initiative in using data and metrics

If you want your self-review to stand out, tie your initiative to numbers. Even rough estimates are better than none.

Here’s a data-focused example of self-assessment examples of initiative:

“I realized our team was making decisions based on anecdotal feedback rather than data. On my own initiative, I learned the basics of our analytics platform, built a simple dashboard tracking weekly performance metrics, and shared it during team meetings. Over the last two quarters, this has helped us identify underperforming campaigns earlier and reallocate budget, contributing to a 15% increase in ROI on our marketing spend.”

Or for an operations role:

“I started tracking recurring issues in our ticketing system and discovered that 35% of tickets were related to the same configuration problem. I documented the pattern, proposed a system-level fix, and partnered with IT to implement it. After the change, tickets related to that issue dropped by more than half, freeing the team to focus on higher-value work.”

These examples include initiative in finding and using data, not just reacting to it.

Initiative as a people manager or team lead

If you lead others, your initiative should show up in how you support and grow your team. Many organizations, including the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), emphasize proactive coaching and development in leadership roles.

Here’s how you might write that:

“Noticing that several team members were unsure how to prioritize their workloads, I initiated monthly one-on-one development check-ins focused on goal setting and time management. I created a simple priority matrix tool and shared it with the team. Over the next six months, missed deadlines on our team decreased by 30%, and our engagement survey scores related to ‘clarity of expectations’ increased by 0.6 points.”

Another example of initiative as a manager:

“I saw an opportunity to improve cross-team collaboration between our group and customer support. I initiated a quarterly joint review meeting where we analyze support trends, product feedback, and upcoming releases. This proactive alignment has reduced last-minute escalations and helped us prioritize two product enhancements that directly addressed frequent customer pain points.”

These real examples of self-assessment examples of initiative show leadership through structure, support, and cross-functional thinking.

How to write your own examples of self-assessment examples of initiative

Now that you’ve seen several examples, here’s a simple way to create your own without copying generic phrases.

Think in three parts and write in plain language:

1. Spot the spark
Ask yourself:

• Where did I see a problem, gap, or opportunity before someone asked me to act?
• When did I volunteer for something outside my normal responsibilities?
• When did I teach myself something to help the team?

Write one or two sentences describing that moment. Keep it specific: “I noticed…” or “I recognized…”

2. Describe what you actually did
Be concrete about your initiative:

• Did you research options?
• Build a template, pilot, or prototype?
• Talk to stakeholders or gather feedback?

Use action verbs: initiated, proposed, created, organized, documented, tested, trained, coordinated.

3. Connect to impact
Even if you don’t have perfect data, estimate the impact:

• Time saved
• Errors reduced
• Revenue gained or protected
• Satisfaction scores improved
• Tickets, complaints, or escalations decreased

Put it together into 3–5 sentences. If you look back at the examples of self-assessment examples of initiative above, you’ll see this same pattern repeated.

You might end up with something like:

“I noticed our internal knowledge base was outdated, which led to inconsistent answers for clients. I took the initiative to audit the top 50 most-viewed articles, identify gaps, and partner with subject matter experts to update them. I then added review dates and owners to keep content current. As a result, we saw a 20% drop in repeat questions on the same topics over the following quarter.”

That’s short, specific, and easy for a manager to plug into their own review of your performance.

Common mistakes to avoid when describing initiative

Even strong performers sometimes undersell themselves. When you’re writing your own examples of self-assessment examples of initiative, watch out for these traps:

Being too vague
Phrases like “I often take initiative” or “I go above and beyond” don’t say anything concrete. Always back them up with at least one real example.

Leaving out the outcome
Saying “I created a new process” is only half the story. Add what changed: faster, clearer, fewer errors, happier customers, better collaboration.

Taking all the credit
If others were involved, acknowledge them: “I led,” “I coordinated,” or “I partnered with.” Initiative doesn’t mean acting alone; it means getting things moving.

Ignoring 2024–2025 realities
Modern performance reviews often emphasize:

• Adapting to new technology (especially AI and automation)
• Working effectively in hybrid or remote environments
• Supporting well-being and sustainable workloads

If your initiative touched any of these, say so. For example:

“I initiated a weekly 15-minute virtual stand-up to improve connection and coordination among remote team members, which reduced miscommunications and helped new hires integrate faster.”

That kind of detail shows you understand the current context of work.

FAQ: examples of initiative in self-assessment

How many examples of initiative should I include in my self-assessment?
Aim for two to four strong examples of self-assessment examples of initiative in your review, depending on its length. It’s better to have a few detailed, results-focused stories than a long list of vague claims.

What is a good example of initiative for someone early in their career?
If you’re early in your career, your best examples may be smaller in scope but still meaningful. For instance: volunteering to document a recurring task, creating a shared folder to organize team resources, or teaching yourself a tool your team uses and then helping others learn it. The key is that you acted without waiting to be told and made things easier or better for others.

Can I use an example of initiative that didn’t fully succeed?
Yes—as long as you’re honest about what you learned and how you adjusted. For example: “I proposed a new meeting format that didn’t gain traction, but I gathered feedback, learned that people preferred written updates, and shifted to a brief weekly summary email instead.” This shows resilience and thoughtful iteration.

How specific should I be with numbers in my examples?
Use real numbers when you have them. When you don’t, reasonable estimates are acceptable if you label them clearly (for example, “about 30%,” “approximately one week faster”). Managers appreciate any data that helps them understand the scale of your impact.

Do examples of self-assessment examples of initiative have to be big, strategic projects?
Not at all. Many of the best examples are small improvements that compound over time: cleaning up a messy shared drive, creating a checklist that prevents errors, or starting a short sync that keeps a project on track. What matters is that you noticed a need, took action, and created a positive result.

If you use the structure and phrasing from these examples of self-assessment examples of initiative and adapt them to your own work, you’ll walk into your next performance review with a clear, confident story about how you show up as a proactive, impact-oriented professional.