In other words, the difference between the application of proactive strategy and reactive strategy is mainly one’s preparation and accountability. The manager approaches, listens to the problem or complaint, and attempts to offer a remedy. Proactive managers also identify the best way to do things before a problem pops up with a poor system or process; freedom from firefighting allows for greater time to implement best practices. Instead, a person using reactive management responds to each situation as it happens. Have you identified a default approach to handling tasks and objectives in your professional life? Do you ever feel overwhelmed or caught-off-guard by your work or daily tasks? Risks are managed with careful planning and orchestrated execution. Let’s talk about the alternative. Proactive management is a strategy that believes in planning for the future, and recognizing and preventing any potential problems before they arise. And the cycle continues. As a manager, you wait until problems or crises surface then come up with a solution. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Going Back from Reactive to Proactive Management Make room for time. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Iowa State University. It believes in envisioning the future, and working towards achieving it. Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), A Critical Factor in the Declining Momentum within Small to Mid-Size Companies. Whatever the case is, you should always have some spare time to plan ahead for your business. You are only halfway through completing project A, but have not started project B. The type of management explained in this example is called “reactive management,” or “firefighting.” Reactive management refers to a situation in which one does not plan ahead for problems or opportunities. Meanwhile, the countdown for project C begins. Proactive maintenance ensures that equipment remains in working order. Second, determine which tasks and responsibilities are critical and delegate or delay any non-critical tasks, creating an action plan to help you prioritize each step. Furthermore, this style of task management forces you to put long-term planning aside in order to respond to new, pressing issues. Other examples of reactive management include waiting for employees to complain about poor working conditions before taking action. And if you don’t decide, others [or life] will decide for you.”. As you make the shift toward a proactive style of task management, consider the words of author Tony Morgan, “You get to decide where your time goes. While reactive classroom management involves taking things as they come, proactive classroom management is the fine art of anticipating certain issues and having solid contingency plans in place. Neil Kokemuller has been an active business, finance and education writer and content media website developer since 2007. Projects A and B are both closing in on deadlines. A proactive management style centers on planning, by creating structures and systems that protect against possible crises. The primary problem with reactive management is that some problems escalate beyond the point of no return before you become aware of them. Your performance as a manager also suffers when you are bogged down with time-consuming and stressful firefighting, according to management advisory website Mind Tools. Addressing these cultural issues is critical to the success of the current planning process. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Being in a reactive state long enough … Reactive Capacity Management is important for a swift response in increasing demand, which can’t be offloaded by Demand Management (e.g., increase in number of employees), while Proactive Capacity management is reliant on monitoring and measuring capabilities, trend analysis, and similar methods to predict, fine-tune and restore the balance between all the components in the service belt. Reactive management is hectic, stressful and inefficient; but it can sometimes become a routine or a comfort zone for those who embrace it. Mind Tools: From Reactive to Proactive Management, Management Training Specialists: Be Proactive in Your Management Style. Keeping a detailed calendar, establishing a personal development plan and managing relationships with workers in an ongoing manner are key strategies in proactive management, states a September 2010 article on the Management Training Specialists website. A remedy is ultimately effected, but not without the risk of the customer storming out and the employee becoming emotionally overwhelmed. Kokemuller has additional professional experience in marketing, retail and small business. You can either spend it moving forward, or you can spend it putting out fires. As reactive management is applied, projects fall behind and there are greater chances of making costly mistakes. To effectively leverage proactive management, you must first organize and take control of your time.

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