Clicking in #06 – Don’t Wait to Be Told

Assalamualaikum w.b.t. and greetings.

One of the biggest turning points in my career came when I stopped waiting.

Waiting for instructions.
Waiting for someone to tell me it was okay.
Waiting for a task to be handed down clearly, with a clean scope and all the details I needed.
Waiting for the moment to feel “right”.

What I’ve learned over the years is that the people who grow faster, build trust quicker, and are seen as reliable are not the ones who do what they are told.

They are the ones who see a gap and act on it.

When you start a new role or join a new team, it’s natural to feel unsure. You don’t want to step on anyone’s toes. You’re afraid of getting it wrong. You want to be helpful, but you’re also trying not to make a mistake.

But after a certain point, you need to stop waiting to be told what to do and instead figure out what needs to be done.

This doesn’t mean being reckless. It means showing initiative. It means stepping in, not over.

In this final series (but not the last), we will wrap things up with how to finally own your career.

You don’t need permission to care

I have seen countless people hold back because they think it’s not their place. They see something broken in the product, something missing in the documentation, or something inefficient in the process, and they leave it.

The common thought is “someone else will handle it” or “it’s not my responsibility”.

But when everyone thinks that way, nothing gets better.

Some of the most appreciated work I’ve done was not assigned to me. They weren’t even asked for. But I noticed they needed to be done, so I stepped in and did it.

I clarified a document that was confusing.
I helped a junior colleague who was stuck but didn’t ask for help.
I proposed a change in our internal workflow because it was slowing us down.

No one asked. But no one complained either.

We often underestimate how much impact we can make just by taking the first step.

Build trust through clarity and action

One of the easiest ways to earn trust in a team is to take action without being asked, but to do it with clarity and context.

If someone raises a vague concern in a meeting, don’t just nod and move on. Ask questions. Dig deeper. Turn it into something actionable. Write it down. Scope it. Share it with others and ask for feedback.

That’s how leadership starts.

Not with a title, but with small actions that bring momentum.

When your manager sees you doing this consistently, you will naturally be seen as someone who can be trusted with bigger things. And the best part? You didn’t do it for the recognition. You did it because it needed to be done.

Do not confuse activity with ownership

Just because you are busy, does not mean you are moving in the right direction.

Just because you are in every meeting, replying to every message, and filling up every slot in your calendar, does not mean you are building value.

There were times in my past when I was very active, but not impactful. I was saying yes to too many things, but the result didn’t show. It’s a trap we all fall into.

Eventually, I learned to ask myself: what am I actually changing? What has improved because I worked on it?

That simple question helped me reduce noise and focus on things that actually matter.

“Do not confuse motion with action.”

Start with one thing

You do not need to transform everything overnight.

Start by identifying one thing that you can take ownership of. A recurring problem. An outdated process. A small tool that could make your team’s life easier. A handover doc that always causes confusion.

Pick one, and act on it.

If you are wrong, your team will correct you. If you are right, they will appreciate you.

But more importantly, you will begin to train your instinct to act.

Do not just wait.

Closing thoughts

It is very easy to hide behind the comfort of tasks. Just do what’s asked. Deliver it. Move on.

But you were hired for more than that. You were hired for your judgment, your insight, your care, and your ability to make things better.

The truth is, people who consistently wait to be told what to do will always be a few steps behind. Not because they are less capable, but because they gave up their chance to lead.

So I invite you to take that chance back.

Step in. Ask questions. Fix something. Propose something. Start a conversation. Care more than you need to. Try even when it’s unclear.

The world is built by people who stopped waiting.

It is also easy to feel burdened and overworked with this initiative, which is why it is even more important to identify high-impact work rather than the low-hanging fruit. Learn to say no when you have to as well.

We do not wait to be told, and we challenge what shows up on our plate.

Because we have limited time in this life.

Make it impactful.

The goal of this series is to enable you to easily click in with your new (or long-standing) colleagues, making collaboration easier and allowing you to shine to your maximum potential, while not downplaying your contribution towards burnout.

Hopefully, you learned at least something in this series, and I am always happy to accept any feedback you may have.

As always, may Allah s.w.t. bless all of my readers with strength, clarity and the courage to take action when the moment calls for it. Even when no one tells you to.