Do you have colleagues who every day when they come to work they say something from the series: “Damn, when will they raise the salary” or “I’m tired of working for this money” or “In general, let them say thank you that for such a salary I came with morning." We always want to ask these people: “Dude, why are you working here then? ” and “What did you do to get your salary increased?” Agree, where will the company get the money to just raise everyone’s salaries at once? Therefore, most often, salaries are increased individually for some specific merits.
One of the most important parameters and characteristics of the employee who more likely will receive a salary increase - this proactivity.
What is this anyway and who is a proactive person?
Proactivity, first of all, is initiative, open life position, the ability to take responsibility for one’s life and actions. A proactive person does not depend on external environment, he seeks to adjust it to himself. He believes that everything that happens to him directly depends on his decisions and it is his actions that lead to certain consequences.
A proactive person never avoids responsibility and never goes with the flow. Quite the contrary. He seeks this responsibility because he wants to be a reformer, not a follower. The opposite of proactivity is reactivity. In other words, a simple answer, a reaction to some external stimulus. Like Pavlov’s dog: the light bulb came on - saliva came out, the light bulb went out, the appetite disappeared.
Proactivity is about action. He who does nothing is dead. A proactive person is always in action, deeds, he squeezes everything out of every day. The activity of proactivity consists of 2 components: Choice and change. First, we decide what we will change, and then we build a consistent chain of action to change this something. Moreover, this is done with full acceptance of responsibility for the result and knowledge of the final outcome!
1) I understand what I want to achieve
2) I understand how I want to achieve this
3) I understand that I am responsible for every step towards achieving
Let's look at examples of phrases of a proactive (P) and reactive (R) person:
R- I have to do what I was told...
P- I made a choice in favor of...
R- Still won’t get it...
P- I decided not to do this project...
____________________________________________
R- They told me that my idea was nonsense.
P- I accept their criticism and will rework my idea taking into account their suggestions
____________________________________________
R- I am not able to change anything
P- I am able to change absolutely everything that happens to me
Do you see the difference? A proactive person is always in a state of positive reinforcement. No, if you thought that this is such a positive fool who thinks that the world consists of rainbows and butterflies, this is not so. It’s just that a proactive person is always ready to consider all paths of action, is always focused on results, never waits, but acts first and is always responsible for what happens to him, unlike a reactive person who whines more often than acts.
Proactivity is the key to increasing wages, to her growth and development in the company. Any manager is glad to see in his ranks a person who “does not give a damn” about what is happening in the company. An employee who is ready to act to develop himself and the business as a whole.
What kind of employee are you?
In this article I will write about, as it seems to me, fundamental things, about what without which any attempt to change your life will be unsuccessful, about the basis of the foundations of any actions and movements - about the importance of correct thinking.
There are three types of people: some are rolling the world, others are running alongside and shouting “God, where is the world going?!”, and others are running faster than everyone else and thinking “They will crush you!”
Any of our actions comes from our thinking. There is nothing that happened to us on its own (with the exception of the instincts and reflexes inherent in nature). And our whole life depends on how we think, what thoughts and mental models prevail in us. In general, everything that concerns thoughts and their influence on us is very interesting to me. This is a separate and very important topic and therefore an entire section will be devoted to it.
Today I will write about two main types of thinking, and, accordingly, behavior, which determine our lives.
Any event that happens in our life has an impact on us. Depending on how we react to events, our thinking can be divided into two types: reactive And proactive. What does it mean?
If we explain it quickly and simply, this means that we either consider ourselves the consequence of everything that happens in life, or we consider ourselves the cause. In the first case, in case reactive thinking: life is what happens to us. In case proactive thinking: life is what I choose to do.
This results in two types of behavior:
- reactive behavior- when we simply adapt to events that are created by other people around
- proactive behavior- when we ourselves create events in our lives.
People with proactive thinking are people who understand that only they are responsible for their life, that no one else has as much influence on it as they do. And even if circumstances do not turn out the way they want, they always have a choice of how to react to this situation and continue to act based on new conditions.
People with reactive behavior- these are people who believe that their lives are created by other people and circumstances. They usually blame the environment for everything, saying that if it weren’t for this and that, things would have been different. They are always hostages external forces. When you ask them why they couldn’t do something, there is always an extreme one, because of whom everything fell through. These people do not take responsibility for their lives and what happens in it. They are those who run from the world and are afraid of being crushed.
Proactivity means taking action yourself rather than being influenced. Moreover, action means not only the creation of circumstances, but also the choice of response to what has already happened.
When some unpleasant or difficult event happens in our life, we always have a choice of how to mentally react to it: either begin to regret, complain about fate and everything around us, feel like a victim and become despondent; either see what can be done about the situation, start looking for a way out, or simply accept that the situation happened, but it has no impact on your self-esteem and perception of yourself.
How can you tell a reactive person from a proactive person?
It's easy to see if see how a person reacts to new tasks or current circumstances.
Jet Man will immediately begin to look for excuses why the task cannot be completed, look for confirmation of the impossibility of execution, and do everything to avoid even the slightest action.
A proactive person will immediately begin to look for opportunities to solve the task at hand, and if it turns out to be difficult, he will still continue to move forward, the main thing is that he will never fold his arms and say, “Well, it happened that way.”
Example.
Circumstances: Gasoline prices have increased.
The reactive person says: I can’t afford to drive a car because the prices have risen, now I can’t afford it, as always the government is only doing what it wants to make money from. ordinary citizens, but the salary was not increased, etc., etc. The result is a car in the garage, he drives public transport, while constantly muttering and complaining about injustice.
A proactive person says: So, prices have increased, now it will be more expensive to get to work. What can I do to continue driving my car? What can I do in this situation? I can try to start earning more, I can find a travel companion to share expenses, I can try to talk to my boss about paying for travel expenses, I can... and I begin to come up with more options. Or he may decide that now is the time to just get on a bike. Or he'll come up with some other way out. The main thing is that in any case he will understand that he chooses his own further actions and thoughts.
To summarize, then reactive people think in terms of “It’s all because...”, proactive people think with questions like “How? What can I do?
The topic of reactive and proactive thinking is a very broad one. A lot can and should be said about her. About why people think reactively and what they get from it, what allows people to be proactive, what are the foundations on which proactivity is built, and in what ways can you develop proactivity in yourself.
Today it was important for me to start this topic, perhaps even to encourage you to think about what behavior is more typical for you. After all, if you are going to create your life, start a new one, then this can only be done if you think and act proactively, if you understand the importance of your actions and accept responsibility for your choice.
It can be said that the slogan of a proactive person will be “I create my life”. (And this will be true, because he himself actively creates all events and circumstances.)
While at reactive - “I adapt to the life that others have created for me”.
No matter what happens in life, you can always choose how to react to it, how to perceive it - as a tragedy or as an opportunity.
At one of the trainings, we received a task - to arrange a romantic evening with our loved one. It was nice exercise.)) But we're talking about something else.
One of the participants found himself in a difficult situation - his girlfriend was in another city, they were separated by thousands of kilometers.
But... the guy completed the task.
Guess how?
Suggest your option, and then read the continuation.))
He arranged a meeting with his beloved on Skype. They sat on different sides monitor by candlelight, listened to music, talked, ate delicious food. It was an unforgettable romantic evening.
The young man rose to the occasion - he did not say that he could not change the circumstances and would postpone the task. He showed proactivity.
Proactivity is the main quality of a successful person
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It's not just employers who are interested in employee performance. Every person needs a feeling of satisfaction from their day. Most people see efficiency this way: the more you do, the more effective you are. True effectiveness lies in the balance of the desired result, resources and means.
A proactive attitude or simply proactivity means more than the familiar concept of “proactivity”, it means that we are responsible for our own lives, our behavior depends on our decisions, and not on environmental conditions. We can control feelings through our values.
By nature, we are proactive, and if life has become dependent on various circumstances, it is because we - consciously or not - have made our choice in favor of reactivity and allowed others to control our elections. Reactive people are often dependent on physical conditions environment. IN good weather they feel good, weather changes affect their mood and work. Proactive people “carry” their own weather within themselves. It doesn't matter to them whether it rains or shines. Reactive people build their own emotional life, based on the behavior of others, allowing themselves to be controlled by other people’s weaknesses: if others treat them well, everything is fine with them, but if they are bad, then they take a defensive position. The ability to subordinate impulsive reactions to your values is the essence of a proactive personality. Reactive people are driven by feelings, circumstances, conditions and their environment. Proactive people are driven by values that are carefully thought out, selected and accepted. Proactive people are also affected external factors physical, social or psychological, but their response to a stimulus is a choice based on values.
What is the benefit of acting rather than being influenced? This, on the one hand, gives us the ability to choose our response to certain circumstances and, on the other hand, encourages us to shape the circumstances themselves.
Analysis of our attitudes and actions can often provide insight into the nature of activity. Real indicator the degree to which we tend to be proactive or reactive is speech. Reactive people use vocabulary in their speech that relieves them of responsibility, for example: “That’s just the way I am. I can’t do anything about it,” they often demonstrate the compulsion of their actions, lack of freedom in choice.
Taking the initiative does not mean being pushy, unceremonious or aggressive, it means recognizing your responsibility for ensuring that events develop in a certain way, creating your own conditions.
Every second of our lives we are influenced by a lot of circumstances, from the weather to the actions of other people. Oddly enough, many people miss the fact that they also have the ability to influence these circumstances and their lives in general. Proactivity is highlighted by psychologists and business trainers as one of basic characteristics successful person. Why is it so important and what does it represent?
The perception of one's position and the ability to influence one's own destiny depends on a person's awareness of his ability to make choices. It is this ability that distinguishes proactive thinking from reactive thinking and proactive behavior from reactive behavior. A proactive person is the architect of his own happiness, a reactive person is the eternal one.
Proactivity and reactivity
Among the residents of the same country, the same city, and even the same family, there may be people who react completely differently to the occurrence of the same circumstance. Suppose a road is being repaired near a house. Someone, taking this circumstance into account, will take care in advance to find another route to work and not be late. And another person will be 2 hours late for work and there will complain to everyone about the repairs, saying that the city government is worthy of condemnation, that the minibus driver is worthless because he drove slowly, and even fate is to blame for the fact that he settled in this particular house.
In general, in the second case, the person completely excludes the possibility of his own influence on the situation; he simply submitted to the circumstances. And the first person found an opportunity to adjust his action plan in order to minimize negative impact circumstances. This is the main difference between reactivity and proactivity.
Reactivity also represents behavior in which a person does not consider himself to be an active participant in shaping his destiny and each specific situation. Such people do not even consider the possibility of influencing circumstances; they are only able to show their reaction to them. That is, this is a reaction that appears when everything has already happened and reflects only a person’s attitude towards it. In this case, the person is the object of influence.
In turn, proactivity manifests itself as an active participant in ongoing events, a subject of activity who is able to influence circumstances. Proactive thinking - recognizing oneself as capable of making choices and influencing one’s life and every specific situation, forms proactive behavior - the ability to act in such a way that external circumstances do not become key in their influence on the outcome of the situation.
A proactive person and the benefits of such a characteristic
A proactive person is always more successful, because he is not used to making excuses for himself. He has a clear awareness that only he is the master of his life. This fact adds inner confidence, because when you can influence your life, you feel inner peace and stability.
Being proactive does not mean being omnipotent. There are always circumstances over which we have no influence, for example, the weather. The likelihood that, thanks to proactivity, a person will stop the rain is zero, but he will be able to adjust his behavior in such a way that the rain will not interfere with his plans, or at least consciously choose his reaction to this circumstance.
Proactivity largely depends on upbringing, the presence of such characteristics in parents and personal characteristics. We learn to respond to external circumstances by considering how our parents reacted to them when we were children. If the father is not used to justifying all his mistakes with various excuses, and knows how to set and achieve goals, the child is more likely to perceive such behavior as normal and correct.
Proactivity is influenced by some personal characteristics. For example, field independence. This is the ability to focus on one’s own feelings and beliefs in to a greater extent than to external circumstances. Locus of control also influences. Internal locus of control involves taking responsibility for the current situation on oneself to a greater extent than on others. It is difficult to say unequivocally what is primary - the described characteristics or proactivity itself, because they are very closely related to each other.
Reactive person and why such people exist
It seemed, why shouldn’t everyone become proactive and successful if it’s so healthy and useful? Building proactivity begins with taking responsibility for your life, which for many people is overwhelming or even unprofitable. A reactive person tends to blame others for his failures; his locus of control is external. He is also field-dependent - that is, his decisions are greatly influenced by external circumstances, and it is they that become decisive and determine his life.
When a child sees from childhood that mom and dad are used to making excuses and did not know how to overcome difficulties, it is very difficult for him to acquire the skills of proactive response in adulthood. Overprotection of the child from difficulties also contributes to reactivity. When mom constantly says: “Don’t go there, they’ll steal you,” “Don’t play with the kids, they’ll hurt you,” “That’s a bad teacher - she gave you a C again,” “Go to this university, here we’ll get you a job with connections, and you won’t just get through the other one,” the child develops a clear idea that nothing ever depends on him, that he can only be an object of influence and is in no way capable of influencing circumstances.
Being proactive is not beneficial for many people. When you are responsible for your life, you are the culprit not only of successes, but also of failures. Now you don’t have the opportunity to blame everything on: the weather, the boss, lunar eclipse, fate, power and global conspiracy. Because you have a clear understanding that the choice is always yours. It is the opportunity to make a choice that makes a person more free and deprives him of any excuses.
You can often hear phrases from friends like: “Well, what could I do, there were traffic jams.” Any arguments like: “There are traffic jams there every day”, “You could have left in advance”, “You could have at least warned me that you would be late”, “You could have made an appointment for another time, knowing that it would be impossible to get through this area in the morning.” But all these arguments are either denied or faced with an iron counter-argument: “Well, what can you do now.”
Proactive behavior always involves effort, both mental and physical. After all, lamenting about troubles is always much easier than looking for ways out. From passive position you will never achieve success and sit idly by and create your own business. Therefore, not everyone needs it and not everyone is ready to make the effort.
How to develop proactivity
Proactivity allows you to look for ways out and be an active creator of your life; it is the first factor in achieving success. The ability to search for and find solutions, to take responsibility for your life, makes you more tense than usual, but always bears fruit. That’s why it’s so important to develop proactivity if you’re tired of being a passive object carried along with the flow.
Proactive thinking and behavior are quite useful things, they can be developed and mastered required skills. First, you need to distinguish between your understanding of circumstances that are really not under your sphere of influence and those that you can well influence. Try to write in two columns all the life circumstances that are relevant to you in life, that hold you back or create difficulties.
Usually the left column contains insurmountable obstacles, at least slightly smaller than the right column—circumstances under your control. Think about the reasons why the circumstances in the left column are insurmountable? Ask yourself this question. Imagine this circumstance in the life of another person, does it still seem as insurmountable to you? Ask the other person if they think this obstacle is as hopeless as you do.
And even objectively force majeure do not have complete power over us. For example, we cannot cancel or annul the presence of a disease, but we can go to the doctor, strictly adhere to his prescriptions and eliminate the causes of the disease. We can't stop the rain, but we can take an umbrella, we can call a taxi, we can look at the weather forecast in advance when planning our day, we can even just not let such a little thing ruin our mood.
Stop yourself every time complaining replaces action. Feeling sorry for yourself is never harmful if it is followed by active steps to overcome difficulties, but if the process stops there, think about why this is happening and force yourself to change this behavior pattern. It may be difficult at first, but just recognizing the moment of replacing actions with complaints is a good first step towards eliminating this problem.
The circle of concerns is the totality of those difficulties that are beyond our control and we have to reckon with them. For example, if you submitted a resume for the vacancy of your dreams, now you can only wait for them to call you or not; you cannot speed up this process and can only influence your attitude.
The circle of influence is everything that is subject to our influence. For example, you can stop communicating with the person who annoys you or stop watching TV shows that steal your time. According to Covey's definition, the circle of concern is the central reference point for reactive people. Proactive people are focused on the circle of influence.
