• What is being proactive?
• Proactive and reactive people
• Advantages of being proactive
• Tips to be more proactive

We explain what it means to be proactive, its advantages and tips to be more proactive. Also, how reactive and proactive people are.

Proactive people are those who propose, undertake and anticipate.

What is being proactive?

When we speak of proactivity, or we say that someone is proactive, we are referring to a type of behaviour anticipatory type, which does not require an external stimulus to initiate an action or undertake a change. Proactive behavior is the opposite of reactive behavior, which is limited to reacting to a stimulus from the outside.

Proactive people are those who propose, who undertake and anticipate, that is, who have an active stance towards things and situations. A proactive person does not need to wait for directions, but rather proposes and proposes courses of action. In other words, a proactive attitude is one that has the initiative and is ready to undertake change or action.

This meaning is inscribed in the very origin of the word, which goes back to Latin and the union of voices. pro- ("Before" or "forward") and agere ("Perform", "act"). Thus, proactivity could be defined as the ability to act ahead of time, the propensity to get things done before they become necessary.

For example, before a trouble in the production chain, a employee Reactive will stop and wait for the bosses to decide what to do, while a proactive one will look at what things are in their hands to solve the problem or at least minimize its negative consequences.

In general, proactive attitudes are highly valued in the workplace and are considered a virtue desirable in people. This is because a proactive person will be more likely to actively deal with problems that arise, that is, to find a solution and take decisions independent, than a passive person who will simply wait for instructions.

However, it is important to note that no one is 100% proactive in all dimensions of life, but can be in some contexts and in others not.

Proactive and reactive people

As we said before, the fundamental difference between a proactive person and a reactive person is defined based on their attitude towards things: a proactive person possesses the initiative, takes action, while a reactive person operates based on reactions: requires of an external stimulus to be able to act.

This, in turn, may involve certain personality factors, such as:

• Proactive people tend to be more spontaneous and extroverts, while the reactive ones take refuge in passivity, the introversion and often hostility.
• Proactive people inspire others and can occupy positions of leadership with ease, since they are able to make decisions in the moment. Reactive women, on the other hand, feel more comfortable following a Leader.
• Proactive people, however, tend to improvise and make quick decisions, while reactive people tend to ruminate over decisions, often procrastinate, and ultimately let things happen by themselves or someone else take the lead. decision.

Advantages of being proactive

Proactivity tends to be a more rewarding and rewarding posture in many areas than reactivity. This is because:

• It allows us to make critical decisions and prevent situations that can put us between a rock and a hard place.
• It predisposes us to learning practical, because by doing things, even if we make mistakes, we learn faster and faster than just waiting for someone to tell us what to do.
• Improve our time management, moving away from procrastination and the rumination of decisions.
• It makes others value or at least notice our effort.

Tips to be more proactive

Is it possible to educate ourselves to be more proactive about things? Certainly, but this requires a change in the traditional way of thinking. For this, it is convenient to look at the following recommendations:

• Think of solutions, not culprits. Reactive people tend to get stuck in attributing responsibilities, and to take refuge in passivity. Proactivity, on the other hand, gives priority to solving problems and leaves punishment and reward for later.
• Be honest with yourself. Contrary to popular belief, procrastination is not a matter of time management, but of emotions: we get distracted as a way to interrupt an activity that causes us discomfort. In that sense, it is preferable to be honest about what we feel and face the things that need to be done with the spirit of commitment necessary to do it quickly and well, and not delay and do it reluctantly.
• Try to be pragmatic. Proactivity gets along better with the useful, the immediate and the strategic, so it is better to leave the theorizing and reflections for later, when there are no hot decisions to be made. When deciding, try to keep your feet on the ground.
• Get rid of the law of least effort. If you invest as little as you can into a task, the task will progress slowly and you will never see its results. On the other hand, a greater range of commitment will advance you with a better step and will allow you to prevent future problems that, if you had given the minimum possible, you would not have been able to anticipate.