4 Ways to Be a Proactive Leader

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The world is changing ever more rapidly. Leaders need to anticipate and keep up with these changes in order to be effective. What are some strategies that will help you become a proactive leader?

1. Look forward, not back. All too often, leaders rely on past performance to try to predict the future. Instead of looking back, try to anticipate the possible “futures” that your team and organization could create. Asking “What if?” questions might help you see novel opportunities and the ways forward.

2. Keep your finger on the pulse. Regularly check in with your team members, either informally or with online “pulse” surveys. Being in touch with your team’s concerns and feelings will help you to discover problems or issues more quickly.

3. Anticipate roadblocks. A crisis expert once said, “Prepare for every potential emergency.” If you anticipate problems that might arise and actually develop a concrete plan for dealing with them, you will know what to do when calamities occur.

4. Don't neglect succession planning. This should be an ongoing concern. Not just for upper-level managers, but also for employees at all levels. Regularly reviewing job descriptions and keeping them up-to-date, will allow you to make quicker replacements. This is why it is also important to cross-train workers so that if someone leaves, or is out sick, another team member can pick up the slack.

The very best leaders spend a great deal of their time thinking ahead.