Initiative

I find myself recommending this often, so consider this a reminder you'll likely need. It might seem intuitive that taking initiative is good. No denying there. What most don't realize is that it can have a dramatic positive effect on your career and growth. I have seen this first-hand and with successful people around me, including ICs reporting to me. As a manager though, it is also my responsibility to "read the room". You should not be penalized for shying away from these opportunities, excelling in your current area of responsibility will also push you forward.

Being aware of that, I try to push people in the right direction to help them build muscle memory. I can't even list the number of times I took the initiative on something as soon as I saw an opportunity, even (and especially) when it was out of my comfort zone. We naturally tend to gravitate towards things we're comfortable with. Sometimes we don't realize it but it's a cozy state that makes us feel like we're doing good. That's not bad and it's a perfect "parking zone", use those moments to recuperate and then...

Shake that off and pursue opportunities in grey areas. That's where the learning happens, that's when you can develop new relationships, and where your impact can be noticed. Work with your manager if you're unsure, let them know you want to do it more often. I showed this attitude to my managers in the past, this opened up more chances to grow as they started to send opportunities my way that were not directly visible, knowing I'd be up for it. I led the effort in moving our team to migrate to tools I was only vaguely familiar with. I got the chance to learn something new while simultaneously having a positive impact on the team. Go figure, I then became the go-to person for anything around that.

Thoughts

Don't wait around for opportunities to knock at your door. Discuss with your manager your intentions to learn and grow by taking on initiatives. Look around and find pain points either for your team or for the customer. Put together an informal proposal and show it to your manager and/or your peers. Taking initiative is crucial for strong growth. However, remember that growth can also happen within your comfort zone. Balance your efforts to take initiative with maintaining a sustainable work pace and self-care. Recognize that there are many ways to contribute and excel, and find the approach that works best for you.