Be Proactive With Yourself

My supervision series has several homework assignments, two of which involve self-assessments. Personal traits and characteristics are looked at in "Managing People" and leadership traits and characteristics are looked at in "Leadership Skills." After assessing all characteristics, the homework assignments ask participants to select a trait that represents their best strength and describe the benefits resulting from that strength. Next participants select a trait that represents their worst deficiency and describe the negative results caused by that trait. Finally participants present action steps to reduce, downplay, minimize or eliminate the problem.

All too often, the answers to the final question are far too passive in approach. Participants talk about what they would do, could do or should do. At the extreme some participants say they "will think about it", "try to fix it" or "make an effort to do better." These approaches are passive; they do not reflect clear action steps or a sense of timing. I get the impression that writing the answers to the homework question represents the sum total of the participant's efforts to solve their problem.

For example, recently a person wanted to be more creative. His action plan consisted solely and exclusively of talking to his peers who most likely would have creative ideas as well as encouraging his direct reports to come up with new ideas. That's a passive approach.

If a person truly wants to be more creative, innovative, a leader of change and an implementer of new ideas, one has to actively develop and pursue a number of resources beyond our own circle of acquaintances. Attending professional development seminars. Going to trade shows. Taking continuing education classes especially in areas we are not familiar with. Subscribing to relevant trade journals and magazines. Joining on-line groups and forums. Volunteering to investigate and report on an emerging trend. With that expanded approach a person would have several things to do. The potential to be more proactive would be at hand. But until the person writes out an action plan with target dates, it's still too passive.

"I will attend the Northeast Region Convention of (association) on (dates). I will attend the National (industry) Trade Show in (location) on (date). I will catch up on the (on-line) forum at least once a week, no later than Thursday. I will go to the library tonight and take out the best book they can recommend on innovation; and I will read it completely before the return date. I will submit six new continuous improvement ideas to my boss in writing, one every other month for the next twelve months." And so forth. Now that's a specific proactive action plan. When you put that kind of thought into it, you are more likely to commit to it. If you commit to it, you are likely to do it. If you do it, you should improve in the area of creativity, or whatever other area of self improvement you choose.

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