Being Proactive

Are you a proactive person?

If you’re not sure, here are some additional questions to ask yourself that can help you figure it out. Please answer the following questions before proceeding with the rest of the content.  

1- Let’s say you are about to take leave for a few days. A proactive version of you would anticipate everything that might go wrong during that time. You would start acting ahead. This means that you would work harder and smarter during the past few days before you leave. You would make sure that in your absence the work will be done by another person; so you do your best to teach him/her everything that she/he needs to know. You may share your phone number with your clients in case of an emergency.

2- Your manager asks you to do research on a topic. Your proactive version will set a due date, prepare a to-do list and start working on the task with full concentration by avoiding any kind of distraction. You finish doing the research and even come up with some new and creative ideas. You deliver the task before the due date but there is no feedback from the manager. A reactive person would consider the job done at this point but a proactive person will actively look for clear feedback. You wouldn't stop following up until you get what you need. A few weeks later, when you read a related article, you would go back to your manager and tell him that you have updated the doc with the new information that you just received.

Have you ever been in these situations? How did you act? Have you seen people who acted like this but you never really thought that you have what it takes to be like them?

A proactive mindset starts with realizing that you’re not a product of your circumstances, but your decisions.

Proactive behaviour at work is about making things happen. It involves self-initiated, anticipatory action aimed at changing either the situation or oneself. Examples include: taking charge to improve work methods, proactive problem solving, using personal initiative and proactive feedback-seeking. A proactive employee thinks ahead, acts ahead and gets ahead.

Here we want to learn more about this topic and take small steps toward getting more proactive at work and life.

Please take your time and read this content when you are less busy. All we need is your concentrated attention on the subject.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, being proactive means “acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes”.

Being proactive means thinking about the future and focusing on the things you can control instead of all those you cannot. It also means taking responsibility.

As opposed to being proactive, being reactive means just waiting for things to happen to you; circumstances dictate your actions instead of your actions dictating the circumstances.

Being proactive in life means taking care of yourself and things around you, as well as developing good habits because you realize your life is a product of things you do every day.

For example, proactive people will make sure they are eating healthy and having some kind of physical activity in their daily routine; they will also go to regular health checkups. Reactive people will go to the doctor only when they can’t tolerate the pain anymore – till that point, they’ll just brush it off. (This can have fatal consequences, please don’t do that.)

In relationships with other people, proactive people don’t throw problems under the rug. They don’t take their frustrations out on other people. They regularly communicate about their feelings and needs and when there is a problem, they actively work on solving it.

Even their car is less likely to break down because they’re doing regular vehicle maintenance.

Being proactive in the office starts with awareness, knowing what’s coming up, who it will impact, and what could potentially go wrong.  The organization is the key to handling a large workload, so take the time on a daily or weekly basis to get a good sense of your upcoming tasks and projects.

Here are some practical examples:

  - Reaching out to a colleague a few days ahead of a cross-functional deadline to check in on their progress and offer support.

  - Blocking time on your manager’s calendar well in advance to review an important project. (As a proactive best practice, try to book meetings with at least 24 hours’ notice!)

  - Surround yourself with proactive people. They say we are the five people we surround ourselves with. Seeing how they approach life, what are their habits, and how they think will help you become more proactive too.

  - Creating calendar reminders for recurring tasks you might have forgotten in the past.

  - Don’t wait for feedback, actively seek it. That shows a desire to learn and improve.

  - Provide timely updates to your boss, your team, your clients, or whoever it may concern.

  - Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you have any – not only that you’ll do your job better because everything will be clear, but you’ll also show that you’re proactive.

  - Be active in meetings; give suggestions, participate in brainstorming sessions, share your opinions and help other team members

  - Anticipate potential problems and work to solve underlying issues before trouble starts.

Other than having a proactive mindset, you’ll need to develop a few skills too. Is being proactive a skill, you may ask? Not in itself, it’s more like a set of skills on top of each other with a trench coat on. Here is the list of the most important skills you need to acquire to be proactive:

- Be aware of the words you use. Words we speak have a bigger impact on our lives than we realize. Be aware of how you talk and what phrases you tend to use. Do you keep saying “I have to”, “If only”, “I can’t do anything about it”, “Things would be different if _________”? That’s a reactive language that gives away your power. Try saying “I get to”, “I will”, “I choose”, “I will try different alternatives/different approaches”.

- Plan ahead. Whether using a regular planner or a time-tracking app, proactive people are aware of how they spend their time and use that knowledge to plan the future and be prepared.

- Set goals. In that way, you create your future. Set SMART goals – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.

- Prioritize. Not all goals and tasks are equally important and you shouldn’t treat them as they are – that leads to burnout. If you’re not sure how to prioritize, the Eisenhower matrix can help you.

- Learn How to solve problems. Proactive people focus on how to solve the problem instead of panicking (panicking for a couple of minutes and then solving the problem is fine too). Find out what exactly the problem is, create a plan, and fix the issue.

- Take action. Contrary to popular belief, good things don’t come to those who wait, but to those who take the initiative and work for what they want.

- Learn to take responsibility for your actions.

- Don’t dwell on the mistakes from the past, but learn from them. Mistakes are inevitable, there’s no way to completely avoid them. However, you can learn how to not repeat the same mistakes by analyzing what went wrong and what you can do better next time, and using the mistake as an opportunity to improve yourself and your knowledge.

How to be Proactive in Life (Proactive vs Reactive) - YouTube

The Secret To Being More Proactive At Work | Be More Productive - YouTube

Proactive people don’t wait around for things they want, they make a conscious effort to take the right set of actions and get what they want. They have the right mindset, plan ahead and take initiative. That’s why they are often the highest achievers.

You can be one of those people, too: it’s not a magical superpower only the chosen ones get. It can be learned and trained like you would train a muscle. Practice with little things, such as deciding before going to bed what you will be doing at work the next morning. You may discover that something needs pressing. The more times you think ahead, the more comfortable you will become with planning. As you see your days running smoother, with fewer crises and problems, the more you will be encouraged to become proactive in everything you do.

Proactive means “acting beforehand.” Taking action in the present will influence things in the future – perhaps even the future itself. So practice those habits exhibited by proactive people. Set goals. Schedule time for priority tasks and activities. Use checklists. Review results. Plan long-range. Set deadlines. And continually make adjustments to improve future outcomes.