Reactive and proactive models of behavior in business. Proactive and reactive thinking

How to change the model of thinking and behavior - from reactivity to proactivity? Following Stephen Covey's advice, let's examine our thinking, attitude and behavior, and then rebuild the foundations.

Analyze which areas of your life you devote most of your energy and time to. Every person has his own “set” of main concerns and important questions. All people are different: for some it’s family and children, for others it’s education and career, for others it’s social activity or solution environmental problems etc. Covey suggests placing everything that worries our consciousness, but is not under our control, in the so-called Circle of Concerns. And everything that we can completely control is in the Circle of Influence. Then we look at which circle contains the things that we consider most important to ourselves. Reactivity is attention to concerns, and proactivity is attention to influence.

A key indicator of the level of proactivity is a person’s speech. “Well, what can I do about this?”, “I can’t change my character,” “I don’t have enough time,” “I have to do this” - all these are the thoughts and judgments of reactive people. A proactive person thinks and says: “I can”, “I will do”, “I choose”, “My decision”. He's always looking constructive solution. Pay attention to what you say and what others say. Mentally note how often you hear and say phrases like “I can’t,” “I have to,” “if only.”

Imagine a situation in which you may find yourself in the near future and you are likely to behave reactively. Work through this situation from the position of your influence. What reactive reaction is classic for you in such cases, what consequences does it lead to? What could be your proactive response? Take the time to get a clear picture of yourself reacting proactively. Remind yourself that between the stimulus and the subsequent reaction lies freedom of choice. Make a promise to yourself that you will constantly practice this freedom - to choose an informed decision with positive prospects.

Choose one of the problems that bothers you the most. This could be a work or personal problem. Establish its category: the problem is under direct control, under indirect control, or beyond your control. What is your first step towards solving a problem in your Circle of Influence? Determine and take this step.

Constantly remind yourself that you have a choice. Is it your responsibility to get up in the morning and go to work? Let's say you stop showing up at the office and spend days lying on the couch. What will happen? You will not have a career, you will not receive a salary, your family will have nothing to eat. Do you like this scenario? Most likely not, so you get up and go to work - and it's not an obligation, it's your choice. If you want something different, then a new proactive choice must be supported by specific actions (get a new education, improve your qualifications, open your own business, establish a daily routine, put things in order, change your style of communicating with people, etc.).

See every event as an opportunity to take another step towards your goals. Every day we make many decisions. Some of them are proactive, but most are still reactive. Steadily change this balance in favor of proactive reactions and behavioral responses. Don’t give up what you started - the decision to think and live proactively will “make” you new image life, will give you a more interesting social circle and a lot of opportunities.

What is reactive behavior in communication? Each of us reacts to events happening in our world in two ways - emotionally and mentally (or cognitively). These reactions have their own built-in systems that help us cope with various events that happen around us that can cause us to experience stress. These mechanisms help us maintain a certain balance and order in our lives. The variety of ways in which we react emotionally or mentally to events can be described in very complex psychological terms. Experienced psychologist will learn a lot about our mental health by analyzing how we use these mechanisms. More generally, we can say that by observing a person's verbal and nonverbal behavior during communication, we can understand how he copes with a particular stressful event. Human behavior is divided into five categories - acceptance, negotiation, anger, depression and denial.

Reactive behavior in communication. Several years ago, a doctor who worked with cancer patients published an interesting study about how patients and their families cope with the inevitability of death. Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross described the varied reactions of her patients and their families. Her book has become an invaluable source of information for doctors, nurses, psychologists, clergy, hospice workers and all those who have to deal with patients and their relatives who are faced with the inevitability of death. Several years later, the National Organization for Victim Assistance used Dr. Ross's work to psychological assistance victims of crime and their relatives. When we encounter events in our lives that cause stress varying degrees, then we react almost identically. In exclusively stressful situation When a person deceives another by his own behavior, there is always a risk that the deception will be discovered. This circumstance creates the unpleasant prospect of having to account for one’s own actions, deception and all its consequences.

Of the five behavioral reactions that can be present in a conversation, four are some kind of resistance to reality. I'm talking about negotiation, anger, depression and denial. They can appear in any order and repeatedly during one conversation.

Acceptance is the reaction to be strived for.

Each of the five reactions—acceptance, negotiation, anger, depression, and denial—is manifested in verbal and nonverbal behavior. By observing other people interacting and listening to their speech, you understand their emotional and cognitive reactions to specific problems. The freer and more comfortable the interaction between people, the less pronounced such reactions are. Observe two people under stress or when they are discussing a topic that is vital to one or both of them. Try to notice changes in the intensity of their reactions. As you watch and listen, the emotions of your interlocutors will literally overwhelm you. An accurate diagnosis of these emotions is excellent remedy to determine the progress made in the conversation. You can use your understanding of these emotions to determine how to respond and overcome barriers to effective communication.

Proactivity is the first and most famous of the seven skills.

It is not my goal to retell or make notes of the book - I couldn’t tell it better than Covey. But, I set the goal briefly, in simple words try to highlight the basics. So that it is remembered and imprinted on the brain for a long time (preferably forever). I kindly ask you to carefully read what is written in theoretical articles, because this is a syrup/extract. A correct understanding of the theory leads to correct execution on practice.

So:

Point one: There are only two models of approach to your life - proactive and reactive.

Proactivity means that as humans, we are responsible for our own lives. Our behavior depends on our decisions, not on our environment. We can subordinate our feelings to our values. We initiate what happens and are responsible for it. Highly effective people don't shy away from responsibility. They do not explain their behavior by circumstances and a difficult situation. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choices based on values, and not a product of environmental conditions based on feelings.

Reactivity. If our lives have become dependent on various circumstances, it is because we - consciously or not - made our choice and allowed external forces to control us. When we make these choices, we become reactive. Reactive people are often dependent on physical conditions environment. If the weather is good, they feel good. If the weather is bad, it affects their mood and performance. Reactive people depend on social environment, from "social weather". If others treat them well, everything is fine with them, but if they feel bad, then they become closed and take a defensive position.

Examples of thinking and speech:

Proactive model: Let's see what opportunities there are. I may take a different approach. I control my feelings. I can prepare an effective presentation. I will make the appropriate decision. I choose... I prefer... I will do...

Reactive Model: I can't help it. This is who I am. He annoys me so much. They won't agree to this. I'll have to do this. I can’t... I have to... If only...

Main conclusion: everything that is proactive is correct and leads to increased efficiency, everything that is reactive reduces efficiency and does not allow growth.

Point two- fundamental principle human nature: between stimulus and reaction, a person always has freedom of choice. We have an independent will—the ability to act based on self-awareness, regardless of any outside influence.

In other words- no matter what life situation we find ourselves in:

- in any case, we have time to choose a reaction (think before you act)
- we must use this time to choose the most proactive scenario of action (I can change this situation)

Recommendation: never rush to react instantly in any critical, conflict, or simply life situation. Think first. Choose a proactive behavior model for these conditions and act on it.

And don’t worry that you might be called “slow” because you think for a long time in a seemingly simple situation.

We are carriers of stereotyped reactions to standard problems, for the most part – these reactions are reactive. If you want to increase efficiency, reactions must be changed to proactive ones.

Point three: there is a circle of concern and a circle of influence - the circle of influence must be constantly expanded.

We can determine the degree of our proactivity by looking at what we are spending on. most of time and energy. Each of us is concerned or concerned about a wide range of issues and phenomena; health, children, work problems, taxes, threat nuclear war. We can separate all these things from those that do not have much emotional or intellectual impact on us, placing them in the circle of concerns. If we take a closer look at our circle of concerns, we will see that some of the things within it are beyond our control, while others are subject to our influence. We can consolidate this last group of concerns by placing them within a smaller circle of influence. Proactive people focus their efforts on their circle of influence. They expand and increase their circle of influence. Reactive people, on the contrary, waste their efforts in a circle of worries. Their circle of influence is shrinking.

The problems we face fall into one of three categories:

1) problems that are under our direct control (i.e. those whose solution depends on us);

2) problems that are under our indirect control (their final solution depends on other people);

3) problems that are beyond our control (which we cannot influence in any way: for example, our past or an already existing situation).

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Problems under our direct control can be solved by improving our efficiency skills. These problems are within our circle of influence.

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To solve problems that are under our indirect control, we can resort to changing our methods of influence. These are “public victories” that we will talk about in the second part of the training.

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Problems that are beyond our control only require us to accept responsibility and calmly accept these problems for what they are and learn to live with them. Distinctive feature Reactive people are driven by the desire to avoid responsibility.

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One of the ways to determine which circle this or that problem of ours belongs to is to distinguish between the concepts of “to have” and “to be.” If the circle of concerns is filled with various things to have, for example: “If I had a boss without dictatorial habits...” - this is a manifestation of the reactive model.
Whenever we think that the problem is “out there,” that very thought is the problem. We allow what is outside of us - "out there" - to control us. This is the “outside-in” paradigm of change, according to which we can only change after what is outside of us changes.

Main conclusion: the overall increase in personal effectiveness directly depends on expanding the circle of influence. The wider your circle of influence, the more effective you become.

Proactivity – expanding the circle of influence.

1. We make a list of our problems/questions that concern us at the moment.

For example (my incomplete/approximate list) of what concerns:

a) The impenetrable idiocy of the housing and communal services system
b) Partner does not live up to expectations
c) There is not enough money to implement a new project
d) I want to constantly please my loved ones so that they feel good with me
e) The country has a stupid tax system
f) The programmer on one of the projects missed deadlines

The list is incomplete, I wrote six points for clarity.

2. Now let's break down the problems into groups:

First group- points a) and e):

I cannot influence housing and communal services and the tax system.

If I now go to forums and spend a day discussing their imperfections, it will not change anything.

If I constantly twitch and get upset about them (reports/incomprehensible accruals/incompetent employees), I will only harm my nervous system.

Therefore, I simply accept them as they are and play by their rules (no matter how imperfect they may be) - I pay utility bills once a month by the 10th and once a quarter I submit reports to the tax office by the 20th.

Second group:

I can quite effectively influence the actions of my partner (point b) and the work of the programmer (point f). But this is an indirect influence - now we will not dwell in detail on this group of problems/issues - the second part of our training will be for them.

Third group:

I can personally please my loved ones (d) and earn money (c), this is possible now and depends only on me.

More details:

Money. For a personal project until the end of September you need 20,000 rubles in excess of your estimated earnings.

For this:

- expanded advertising campaign in direct message
— updated advertisements about writing selling texts on the forums
— carried out a campaign to develop websites for mailing lists
— arranged a sale of texts on a text exchange
— reminded old clients of myself
— tested a new scheme for attracting clients

The result of the actions is about 10 preliminary applications, 3 confirmed conversions, cash so far 5,800 rubles.

Please your family and friends. I love them - they are the coolest.

— I ordered my mother some bees to rub her knees. Today they brought it from the apiary - tomorrow I will give it to her (really cool stuff).

— I asked my beloved what to please her with. She asked that portraits, photographs and drawings be hung in the apartment and that the shelf in the kitchen be repaired. Our renovations were completed in May, but we still can’t get around to it (fuck me! :)). Now I’ll finish the article and go hang it up.

Proactivity – the moment of choosing a reaction

No one can offend me unless I allow it myself (c) Gandhi

The main point of proactivity is that we ourselves can choose our reaction to an external stimulus. Do not act according to a template, do not allow the first emotion to take over you, do not bend under the problem, but choose the most acceptable and effective option actions. The option that will be most effective in achieving the goal.

This allows you to feel great after (and during) any conflict/difficult life situation/stress and feel that in this situation you “were human” and acted correctly/effectively.

It’s not difficult to be proactive, but it’s more difficult to remember that you set out to be proactive. This has always been a problem for me - not to forget. The reminder on the computer, by the way, helps, and my beloved wife also helps a lot, who also read Covey and now reminds me in any difficult situation: “Be proactive!”

My personal example today:

17 hours 45 minutes. I opened the mail and read that the client suddenly sent money for the development instead of transferring it to a bank account - using the Golden Crown express transfer system.

Because for 7 minutes got dressed, went downstairs, and ran to the bank. When I entered the bank, the clock was 17:57 .

One person was being serviced issuing transfers and the girl operator said:

- You won’t make it in time, don’t get in line... the ticket office has already closed.

What to do? Turn around and leave? To get to another pick-up point, you need to start the car and drive, or run a couple of stops.

But - I want to be highly effective)). And I have a few seconds to choose the right reaction. And today I managed to choose the reaction really just right.

I leaned over the counter and said confidentially:

- Girl... and you know... if I am your last client, it will be fortunate. This means that you will definitely have a successful evening today.

She froze for several minutes - she also experienced a pattern break. Then she picked up the intercom and told the cashier.

- Please open the cash register - the last customer is here. Yes... I know it's already six o'clock. Well, for me personally...

So I received the translation today).

Proactivity is when...

...everything is falling out of hand...
...a problem has arisen...
…something does not work…

...but you still find the right reaction/solution.

The term “proactivity” has long become popular thanks to books on psychology and management. Many business coaches and consultants use this word when talking about essential qualities successful leader. This is understandable, since proactivity is one of the keys to the doors of success, both personal and professional fields. The key to understanding the reasons for the effectiveness of any activity. The only question is: is the person himself ready to open these doors?

What is proactivity?

The word “proactive” was first introduced by the author of logotherapy, Viktor Frankl, in his book “Man’s Search for Meaning” to denote a person who takes responsibility for himself and his life, rather than looking for reasons events happening to him in the surrounding people and circumstances.

Reactive people are people whose actions are dictated primarily by a reaction to external circumstances. The emotions of these people mainly depend on what the weather will be like, the mood of their family, loved ones, work colleagues, the situation at work or at home. As a rule, they do not have a point of internal support, and accordingly they are quite easy to remove from a state of stability.

When in certain life situations you automatically react to external conditions- your reactivity is manifested. For example, your car was scratched in the parking lot or a client yelled at you, and your mood worsened. In these cases, your reaction was instantaneous and was not under conscious control.

So, Frankl's main idea says: in the interval between any external event and your reaction to it, there is one important possibility - this is the freedom of your choice.

Thus, proactive people are those who predominantly choose their own response to external influence. These are the ones who try to minimize the impact external factors to achieve the set goals. Those who set goals and achieve them, confidently relying on principles that form an integral part of character.

For example, when leaving a job, a proactive person will say to himself: “So what? This means there will be a better offer!” and with a smile wishes good luck to his former employer.

Proactivity Structure

The concept of proactivity includes two components: activity and responsibility.

Activity implies activity in the direction of set goals. Moreover, the activity is active.

Responsibility implies awareness of responsibility for the consequences to which the actions you take lead. Much of what happens to you in life is the result of your actions. Until a person admits to himself: “The me I am today is a consequence of the choice I made yesterday,” he will not be able to decide: “I am making a different choice.”
Until a person admits to himself: “I am today is a consequence of the choice I made yesterday,” he will not be able to decide: “I am making a different choice.”
In order to better understand another aspect of the difference between proactivity and reactivity, it is proposed to divide all events in life into 2 areas.

The sphere of events that you cannot influence in any way. For example: changes in exchange rates, political decisions, revolutions, wars, prices for gasoline, gas, electricity (except for situations where you have such powers) and so on. Stephen Covey calls the sphere of such events the “circle of concern.”

The sphere of events subject to your direct influence. For example, your own education, health, relationships, career, tasks within your authority at work, and so on. A similar name is “circle of influence.”

The “litmus test” of proactivity can be the answer to the question - where are you directing your efforts: to those areas where you can have an impact or to those that you cannot influence in any way?

A proactive person always directs his efforts to his zone of influence. While the reactive one, as a rule, concentrates on events that he cannot change. For example, the HR manager explains to senior management the reason for the long search for employees by the fact that there are no applicants suitable for the company on the labor market, while a banal analysis of advertisements to determine whether a potential applicant is interested has not been carried out. This shining example reactive behavior.

Another example. A proactive manager will not worry much about increases in prices for communication services by operators, but will try to find ways to optimize costs. For example, through the introduction of new digital communication systems that will reduce costs and also improve the level of customer service.

By focusing on events in your “circle of influence,” you feel more powerful and confident in your ability to change the situation around you. The feeling of freedom to choose the direction of movement in your life is a companion of proactive people. While the feeling of helplessness, despondency and dependence is the lot of the reactive.

Oddly enough, there are terms similar in meaning to proactivity. For example, such as “locus of control” and “localization of control of volitional effort” from Gestalt therapy. And this once again confirms that there is one truth, only there are several approaches to its interpretation.

The tables indicate the main features inherent in proactive and reactive people, and what statements can be used to distinguish one from the other.

The above comparisons clearly demonstrate the difference between proactivity and reactivity. Reactive people in most cases refer to the impossibility of doing something. This is expressed as negative sentences which are taken for granted.
Proactive people are more focused on what can be changed in the current situation. These people ask themselves: “What actions need to be taken?” In other words, proactivity is focusing on your ability to change reality.
A more detailed description of proactivity can be found in the books of Stephen Covey. Proactivity, according to Covey, is one of the 7 key skills of any successful person, not to mention the managers, whose work results are the key to the achievements of any company.

Now try to mentally correlate the image of a leader with the images of reactive and proactive people, and you will see the prospects of one and the other approach to solving management problems. The conclusions are obvious.

Evgeniy Khristenko,
director of the company "iTek"

Stephen Covey. "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People."
. Radislav Gandapas. "Charisma of a leader in business."
. Video trainings by Vladimir Gerasichev.
. Isaac Adizes. "The Ideal Leader"
. Research on the concepts of “locus control” and “localization of control of volitional effort” in Gestalt therapy.
. Song "Let this world bend under us."
. The saying “Those who want find opportunities, those who don’t want find excuses.”

Soberly weigh your strengths and the boundaries of your “sphere of influence.” Try to focus your efforts on where you can actually put your efforts.
. If you start blaming circumstances for the fact that you failed to do something, think that maybe it’s not the circumstances at all. This does not mean that you need to constantly engage in self-criticism and self-deprecation. After all, a bad result is also an experience that can be used for further self-training and self-development.
. Communicate from the position of “I win - he wins.”

Hello, dear readers and guests of my blog. Today I will tell you about such a psychological property as proactivity. If you do not want to be a puppet of external circumstances, but want to become the author of the events of your life, then this article is for you. After all, proactivity is independent freedom of choice, and if desired, everyone can develop this quality.

The concept of “proactivity” was introduced by the Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, author of the book “Saying YES to Life.” He wrote this beautiful book after his time in a Nazi concentration camp. It was the skill of proactivity that helped him survive this difficult time, without losing his inner freedom and meaning in life. So what is proactivity?

Proactivity is a person’s ability to consciously choose their reactions to external stimuli. In other words, this definition means independent freedom of choice and taking responsibility for one’s destiny. Because freedom without responsibility creates chaos.

Proactivity and reactivity - two attitudes to life

Proactivity and reactivity are two opposing approaches to life circumstances.

Reactivity is a passive attitude, an unconscious reaction to current events. Proactivity is conscious control over your emotions and actions.

A reactive man goes with the flow. His mood depends on external circumstances. If his boss shouted or the weather turned bad, his mood also deteriorated. A proactive person takes responsibility for his life into his own hands. Even if he is unable to influence the current situation, he himself chooses his attitude towards it.

These 2 personality types can be easily identified by their statements.

Statements characteristic of a reactive and proactive person:

• I don't know anything about this--->where can I find information about this?
• That's the kind of person I am --->I can take a different approach
• It annoys me --->I control my emotions
• no one will listen to me --->I can find suitable arguments
• I don't know how --->I'll learn
• I have to --->I prefer

As can be seen from these statements, it is common for a reactive personality type to find excuses and reasons for their inaction. Such people may blame their environment, their upbringing, and even the weather. That is, they are trying to relieve themselves of responsibility for their lives.

Why is proactivity needed?

In Stephen Covey's book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Individuals,” the principle of proactivity comes first. This quality is the key to success.

Let's look at the situation using an example. There is a crisis in the country, prices have risen. Reactive reaction to this event: blaming the government, complaining about lack of money. Proactive reaction: caring about increasing your income.

Judge for yourself, the second position is more effective. If you cannot influence the situation (and I think you cannot reduce the price level), then you need to shift the focus of your attention. Instead of wasting energy on complaints, a proactive person directs it in more useful ways.

Another invaluable advantage of this quality is personal development. This is well illustrated by the quote from Viktor Frankl: “I not only act in accordance with what I am, but I also become in accordance with how I act.” The reaction of a proactive person is based not on primary impulses, but on internal choice and personal values.

How to develop proactivity in yourself

First of all, in order to cultivate proactivity in yourself, you need to take responsibility. Stop blaming unfortunate circumstances and your surroundings for everything. Become the captain of your life and take the helm into your own hands.

Secondly, try to take the initiative and be active. As they say, those who want to act find opportunities, and those who do not want to look for excuses.

And third, do exercises to develop leadership and proactivity.

Proactivity exercise

For 30 days, implement the following practical suggestions, it can develop proactivity and make it an integral part of your life.

1. Above I gave examples of reactive and proactive statements. Watch your speech and try to remove destructive expressions from your vocabulary and replace them with constructive ones.
2. Make promises to yourself to do something useful for yourself. This could be a yoga exercise, learning a language, etc. Keep your promises and spend at least 30 minutes a day on your chosen activity.
3. Before going to bed, analyze your day and track your reactions. If in some situation you behaved reactively, then imagine in your imagination that you are reacting proactively. Promise yourself that in the next similar situation you will act this way.

Examples of Proactivity

The principles of proactivity apply not only to successful work, but also in all other areas of life.

In a relationship

A good example of proactivity in relationships was given by Stephen Covey. One day after a seminar a man came up to him and said:

• What you say is not always applicable in reality, for example, mine family life. My wife and I have fallen out of love with each other, what should we do in such a situation?

To which Covey replied:

• Love her.
• But I don't love her anymore.
• So love her!
• No, you don’t understand, there are no more feelings.
• It's you who don't understand. “Love” is a verb, that is, it is an action. Love her, appreciate her, respect her, serve her and sacrifice for her.

If your actions can only be controlled by feelings, and not by conscious choice, then you are in Once again abdicated responsibility for their lives.

In psychology

In psychology there is one interesting test for children. The child is shown a picture of a boy tripping over a bench. The psychologist asks the question: “Who is to blame?” Children 3-4 years old usually answer - a bench. After 5 years they answer: the boy who did not see the bench.

This is a test of inner maturity. But there are also many reactive adults whose attitude to life is like that of three-year-old children, and the bench is to blame for everything, i.e. external factors.

In management

In the West, there are many tests and trainings for proactivity. Since this is considered one of the main qualities of successful managers and leaders. Unfortunately, in Russia they view this differently, and sometimes proactive people are considered upstarts with high ambitions.

But in fact, workers with such qualities are able not only to rise through career ladder, but can also move the entire company forward. Since proactivity is one of the conditions for effective implementation of tasks.

I hope this information was useful to you, and you learned something new and interesting for yourself. Leave your comments and share with your friends on in social networks. Sincerely, Ruslan Tsvirkun.