take the initiative

Idioms  

1. Begin a task or plan of action, as in The boss was on vacation when they ran out of materials, so Julie took the initiative and ordered more. This term uses initiative in the sense of “the power to originate something,” a usage dating from the late 1700s.

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Example Sentences

Multiplatform revenue ticked up 4.3% to $493.5 million, primarily due to an increase in non-cash trade revenue resulting from strategic marketing initiatives, the company said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

Same-restaurant sales increased 7.5% from a year ago, driven by an 8.6% gain at Chili’s, where ongoing menu innovation and marketing initiatives attracted more guests.

From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026

Benegal recounts that, egged on by Kurien, he had produced several documentaries on Operation Flood, external - India's milk revolution - and rural marketing initiatives.

From BBC • May 17, 2024

“It could be called the gateway sugary drink,” said Frances Fleming-Milici, director of marketing initiatives and a research professor with the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health at the University of Connecticut.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 19, 2023

It invests about 7 to 8 percent of its sales into marketing, and the company said it would spend more than $200 million on marketing initiatives this year.

From New York Times • Mar. 27, 2023