Run Run Run. React to this, react to that. How can you be effective when you are continually being pulled into situations? You want a way out, and you think the solution is to be proactive. But how? And what does it mean? Are you now just pushing the same people and situations that used to push you? And how can you tell if you’re headed in the right direction?

Being reactive implies that your action begins after the fact; Acting in response to a stimulus or situation, as if you were simply waiting for something to happen. I don’t think this is ever the case. I usually feel reactive when hit by something I didn’t anticipate.

The other tactic is to be proactive, which means that your response precedes action. Create a solution before you are prompted to have one. Anticipate what is needed and have it ready. This seems like a great position to be in; however, you need to know what to be prepared for. You can’t anticipate everything. The important question is how to be selective?

What does it mean to be Reactive or Proactive?

A little analysis will show something about both of these tactics or styles of trading effort.

Benefits: When you are reactive you know that there is a situation that requires action. Unfortunately, the right action is usually needed before you know it, so now you need to take corrective action: clean up the mess or stop the leaks. A proactive tactic can prevent problems or anticipate a request. Or, it may be out of place. You may be doing something unwanted. You’ll only find this out once you’re done: the hero did focus on the right situation, reacting once more if he didn’t.

Learning: Not much is learned in either case. A reactive style does not pay much attention to expanding knowledge, new skills or finding a better way. There isn’t much time to learn when you’re handling one situation and another comes up. The proactive style always looks ahead; it rarely reflects or evaluates the results.

Costs: A lot of effort goes into both tactics. Each of them needs enormous amounts of energy to keep going. It is also not aware of resources. The reactive style throws everything available at the situation and the proactive style often uses resources to plan ahead in areas that are not needed or important.

Characterizations: A Reactive style is cool, anticipatory, and defensive. The proactive style is enterprising, busy, and alert. Both are watchful postures.

Be effective, be interactive

What would be an alternative to these two styles? Be Interactive. This means that you get involved and stay involved with people without there being a problem or a situation. You know what’s going on around you. What are the goals of your bosses? What concerns do your colleagues and customers have? If you have people reporting to you, what are they thinking? And don’t be shy about your own goals and needs. Make sure other people know what you are thinking and planning. The more you know about your organization and the more people know about your goals, the more successful you and the organization will be.

An analysis of interactive tactics paints a different picture.

Benefits: You are very involved with your environment.

Learning: High levels of perception and construction of knowledge.

Costs: Maximization of resources; without waiting, without excessive planning or rushing.

Characterization: Involved, asking questions, investigating, finding out how things work, what is needed and what is not.

Will being interactive mean that you will never be surprised and start to feel reactive? No. However, when the unexpected happens, you’ll have a better idea of ​​how urgent the matter is because you’ll know your business priorities. You’ll know who to work with so it can be resolved with a minimum of effort and fuss. Does it also mean you never have to be proactive? Of course not, in fact, a proactive style will be a natural result of being interactive. You will know what is needed and you will not have to question those around you: you will know that you are going in the right direction and you will have the support and understanding of colleagues and clients.

Will everyone respond positively to this change? No. However, most will respond well when they see that you are interested in them and their concerns and goals. And others will come as you practice and model this new tactic and begin to see the benefits.

How to change tactics

How do you make this change? Try these tips and then share them with everyone.

1) Take the time to inform everyone involved; especially reactive situations. Work through these questions: What could have been done differently? Do we need a contingency plan for this (process, strategy, etc.)?

2) Create learning situations with clients and colleagues. Show what you do and know. Learn what others do and what they need. Update this tutorial frequently.

3) Be creative: use learning to the benefit of all parties. Share ideas, link ideas. Look for best practices, benchmarking, clear roles and responsibilities.

4) Look for barriers to understanding and cooperation. Then work with others to remove them as they arise.

5) When entering a new situation, ask everyone: What do you want to happen? How will we measure our success? Seek understanding, past successful actions – start right.

6) When completing a task, ask everyone: How could it be better?

Use these suggestions to reduce frustration and anxiety and introduce stability and creativity.

They say he’s alone at the top; this is nothing compared to being stuck in a proactive reactive or clueless position, not being effective when you want to get it right. Being interactive gives you a tactic for working well with people. And it could be the tactic that gets you over the top, so you can find out if it really is that lonely.

© Fritz M. Brunner, Ph.D. 2005