To be proactive is to create or control a situation by causing something to happen rather than reacting after something has happened. The world is an increasingly reactive place. As leaders we need to know what skills empower us to be proactive in our personal and professional lives. In the horsemanship world, a proactive rider is known to create a responsive horse. This is achieved when a skilled horseman cultivates a relationship with their horse that allows for two way conversation where both horse and rider respond to each other. This relationship is essential for both the horse and the riders physical, mental, and emotional safety and wellbeing. It is also vital to establish a successful partnership. It is exactly the same in our leadership capacity. If we cannot create a sense of security and purpose within a successful partnership, as leaders we will not achieve our desired outcomes.
In order to develop proactive leadership that cultivates responsive followers we need to develop the same skills as a horseman. These include the ability to identify our habits on the emotional and physical level. This means we must cultivate the capacity to identify how feelings show up in our physical bodies. We need to be intelligent and mature enough to give ourselves permission to feel those feelings without reaction or judgement. This allows us to develop a response without being reactive, because we have processed our habitual emotional responses. This proactive approach to self-regulation empowers effective decision making.
If you would like to expand your ability to have a proactive approach to life and leadership please contact me to arrange a consultation session on 0456728961 or elizabethdenniss@bigpond.com