Behavioral Scale Deep Dive: High Proactivity

Proactivity: The desire to pursue achievement of excellence in activities acknowledged by others as important for status in a community.

Are you a highly ambitious, goal-oriented achiever? In this week’s deep dive, we look at someone who scores high in proactivity and give tips on how to best manage and encourage their growth-let’s dive in!

High Proactivity

Meet Greg. Greg is always on time to the office, if not ten minutes early, and is always working on getting a project completed. He moves fast and is energized by new projects and ideas. He’s always taking steps toward his ambitions and constantly strives for excellence in everything he does.

Greg is a good example of someone with a high score in Proactivity. He: 

Is proactive and thrives on setting goals and working hard

Is often determined, ambitious and self motivated

Tends to be energetic and enterprising

Is motivated by competition, fast pace, clearly defined goals, and social status.

 

Tips for Managing High Scorers:

Although high scorers in Proactivity “get stuff done,” these individuals however, run the risk of placing goals above people. They have a tendency to “drag people along,” and this tendency can lead to conflict and mistrust. Here are a few tips to encourage someone with a high score in Proactivity:

Encourage them to recognize the importance of nurturing in relationships. Slow down and listen to others. This often leads to better long-term relationships and accomplishments.

Remind them that “Patience is a virtue.” This is especially true when dealing with the majority of the world that moves more slowly than you do.

The high scorer in Proactivity is motivated by competition, fast pace, clearly defined goals, and social status. Recognize that they will get frustrated when these conditions are not present, so you need to encourage them to develop tolerance for a slower pace. One way to do this is to ensure they bring a book, activity, or other task with them as a backup wherever they go.

Encourage them to participate in social activities in their area of interest – and to participate, rather than lead.