What real proactivity looks like in business environments

How proactive are you at work? Most employees might describe themselves as proactive and yet – from my personal experience – there are some who stand out of the crowd.

Another observation is that a majority does not strive for proactivity. This should not be confounded with delivering or being successful: I know many e. g. project leaders who strive for results, who set clear objectives for themselves and their teams – and reach those. They bring results, they are successful. But are they truly proactive? Only some I believe.

Let me give you some examples of proactive characters:

These employees constantly think and reflect in benefit of the organization. Not only in their current project or the role they were hired for, but holistically in all topics and environments which they enter.

They work independently and need little guidance. Work and what needs to be done is obvious to them and even if good leadership is mainly appreciated, they do not depend on a manager who tells them what to do or how to do their work. Micromanagement might even frustrate them and keep them in their place instead of letting them grow.

They do not wait to be asked. Since they recognize what needs to be done, proactive employees tend to come up with ideas and objectives on their own. They approach their manager with proposals he or she did not ask for or even think of. They offer solutions and enjoy developing the organization.

They strive for the better. Reaching new levels motivates them and improving processes, products or relationships rewards them.

They do not choose the easy way, but prefer the right one. Being proactive often leads to higher workloads, not necessarily in time, but at least in complexity and working style. Where some might say that avoiding or ignoring a problem recognized is the easier or more comfortable way, proactive persons see the need to involve themselves and choose to act.

They feel intrinsic motivation and do not behave on external or even financial rewards. While praise or (financial) recognition might be valued, these are never the reason why proactive employees choose to be proactive. 

They don’t change their behavior under observation. No matter if their supervisor is around or not, these individuals know what is the right thing to do and follow their path. 

After reading these examples, who now crosses your mind? Maybe you are a people manager yourself and can tell the difference between your employees. Or you are an employee and received feedback on your working style. I would be happy to read whether you agree to these examples or if your experiences are different.