Lesson 4.9
Initiative Without Overstepping Your Authority
Estimated time: 7 minutes
Reliable employees do not wait passively for instructions about every tiny problem.
But initiative has limits.
Scenario
A customer complains that an item is defective.
The employee wants to help and immediately promises a ₦300,000 refund.
The employee has authority to approve refunds only up to ₦25,000.
The intention may be good.
The decision exceeded the employee’s authority.
Another Scenario
You notice that a customer has been waiting because a simple document has not been printed.
Printing it is within your normal role.
You do not need the managing director’s approval to perform an ordinary authorized task.
Good Initiative Asks
- Is this within my role?
- Do I have authority?
- Is it safe?
- Is there an established procedure?
- Could this create significant financial, safety, legal or reputational consequences?
- Should I escalate?
This prepares learners for Module 8’s full framework:
Poor
“Nobody told me to do anything.”
“I decided everything myself even though I had no authority.”
Better
“I handled the part within my authority and escalated the part that required approval.”
More Workplace Examples
Workplace situation
A worker sees the shared customer area needs its ordinary restocking but says, “Nobody told me to do it.”
BETTER RESPONSE
If restocking is within the role and approved procedure, handle it and tell the relevant colleague. Ask when the limits are unclear.
A major decision without approval
A sales employee tries to solve a complaint by changing the business’s credit terms for every customer.
That exceeds an ordinary service task.
BETTER RESPONSE
Remember
Initiative is not doing whatever you want. It is acting responsibly within appropriate limits.