The Power of Proactive Thinking - Why Businessmen Need to Think One Step Ahead

The Power of Proactive Thinking - Why Businessmen Need to Think One Step Ahead

Successful businessmen know that success lies in anticipating what’s to come. The most successful members of the business world understand the importance of strategic planning and proactively assessing risks before they arise—and ultimately taking the steps necessary to avoid them altogether. In an ever-changing landscape, business leaders need to think one step ahead of their industry so that they stay informed of trends and find ways to position themselves competitively.

On the 20th March 2023, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) under the leadership of Julius Malema planned a nationwide protest action in South Africa. Hundreds of thousands of red berets turned up to protest the ongoing energy crisis and demand the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa as Head of State. What did they achieve as a result of this mass action which affected the lives of so many people? Absolutely nothing!

In 2007, Eskom announced that it could not meet the entire nation's demand and as a result implemented 'load shedding' which is the deliberate shutdown of electrical power in part or parts of a power-distribution system to prevent the failure of the entire system. South Africans soon had to learn how to adjust their daily lives to fit in with these rolling blackouts. Despite the term 'load shedding' being somewhat creative in itself, the solution to the problem brought only confusion, disorganisation and disdain to the South African population and impacted the country's economy significantly.

Way back then Eskom stated that load shedding would remain for at least five to seven years to allow them time to fix the problem and overloaded systems. Was load shedding the answer to Eskom's problems? Absolutely not! The problem persists and in fact, has only worsened with time.

What Is Proactive Thinking and How Will It Help Your Business Succeed

In his book, 'How to Teach Your Child to Think', Edward de Bono discusses two types of thinking:

1. Reactive
2. Proactive

Both the EFF mass action and load-shedding are examples of reactive thinking. Let's use the analogy of two swimmers taking a dip in the ocean to understand the difference between the two.

The first swimmer is excited to take a swim but has never taken a plunge into the ocean before. He enters the water, turns his back on the waves and in an instant he is knocked off his feet by a dunker and is heading uncontrollably back to the shoreline, gasping for air and struggling to keep his head above the water.

The second swimmer however is much more prepared, he enters the water and watches the waves. He knows exactly when to swim out a bit further and meet the swells anticipating the breaks and as a result, he floats seamlessly in the water, bobbing up and down and soon emerges refreshed and relaxed without a grain of sand chafing in his costume.

Reactive thinking is simply reacting to what is put before you, I like to think of it more as negative thinking. Trying to problem-solve an existing catastrophe or plug holes in a sinking ship. It focuses on the problem at hand and tries to come up with the best scenario to deal with it. Proactive thinking is completely the opposite. It is the form of thinking whereby you get out and make things happen. Proactive thinking is constructive, creative and generative. Proactive thinking is big-picture thinking, taking a look at potential problems through a wide-angle lens.

Proactive thinking is an important factor that can help businesses succeed in today's competitive environment. It involves taking the initiative to anticipate potential obstacles, identify issues before they arise, and develop strategies to deal with them. This forward-thinking mindset focuses more on anticipating future effects rather than just reacting to current events and problems.

By continuously trying to improve processes and setting up plans for the future, companies can be more prepared for both expected and unexpected occurrences. This kind of proactive thinking will ensure that businesses are better able to handle changing customer needs and remain agile despite any potential disruptions. While reactive thinking can help address present situations, proactivity can help set your business apart from its competitors in the long run.

4 Benefits of Implementing Proactive Thinking in Your Business

Proactive thinking can reap many rewards not only in business but in your personal life too. Providing many advantages that can help increase efficiency and productivity while improving bottom-line performance at the end of the day.

Thinking proactively at work can help boost employee morale, foster creativity and innovation, encourage collaboration throughout the business, and create an overall more positive work environment. All of these together promote a culture of higher quality standards which aligns with organisational objectives for greater success.

Proactive thinking also helps build stronger customer relationships as customers are often impressed by businesses that think ahead and take preventative action rather than reactive measures.

How to Create an Effective Proactive Thinking Environment

Proactive thinking is essential for creativity and problem-solving in any environment. To create an effective proactive thinking environment, it is important to ensure that all team members have a safe platform to share their ideas and perspectives. Start by removing the fear of failure and judgement associated with brainstorming. Encourage people to think big and come up with fresh ideas even if they seem outlandish at first.

To refine these out-of-the-box concepts, provide practical guidance through mini workshops and activities conducted online or in person. Lastly, document the generated solutions thoroughly so that all team members can review them at any time. Creating an environment that fosters proactive thinking will ultimately lead to better results and a more productive workforce.

Closing Thoughts - The Power of Proactive Thinking and Its Impact on Your Business’s Future

It is clear that when it comes to the success of any business, proactive thinking must be fully embraced. Taking a proactive approach can have an immeasurable impact on your future in terms of getting ahead of trends, anticipating customer needs and desires, and staying one step ahead of competitors. When you think proactively, you may uncover powerful opportunities or critical issues before they arise which will put your business in a strong position for long-term growth. Incorporating this mindset into your decision-making process will undoubtedly result in positive outcomes and prepare your business for whatever challenges lie ahead.

Perhaps if the EFF could mass action the minds of 100 000 red berets to think proactively and provide Eskom with some solid ideas, South Africans might just get their lights switched back on.

Reposted from debralangley.com