Humans are about a bunch of volatile emotions. We can carry our emotions everywhere we go – home, work, to the gym, school and even on a holiday. Isn’t that true? Most of the time, it’s with these bio-chemically generated reactions that we are at a constant tussle. The day we manage to keep them under control, under the measurable line of “acceptable,” we are happy but the day it spills over to the danger zone of “unacceptable,” it causes a turmoil within, about the rights and wrongs.

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I attended a day-long seminar “Overcoming Challenges in Today’s Times” conducted by the big man, Stephen Covey himself, at Hyderabad, India early this year. At the end of it, when Steven asked the participants if they have any doubts, a man got up and shared his concern that though he is very proactive, his boss isn’t and doesn’t allow him to be! Steven did not make it easy for him. He asked him a few questions and left him at that. Probably Steven wanted the man to be proactive and find his own answers.

As my understanding goes, being proactive means being able to take responsibility for one’s behavior, whatever it may be – positive or negative. The underlying rationale is only when you take responsibility for your actions you will learn from them and use them to your advantage. Personally, whenever I am proactive, in addition to learning, I find myself energized and free.

“Proactivity – First Habit of Highly Effective People”

Coming back to the man at the seminar, who represents all of us, one time or the other, his question belongs to all of us – can we be proactive among people who are not at all proactive? How can we take initiative when our boss doesn’t allow us to? How long will we take responsibility of our behavior and actions when others don’t take responsibility for theirs?

I will be very interested to hear your comments.

RK Prasad

CEO