DELIVERING RESULTS
Proactive and Positive Attitude
The behaviours in the table below show how you can demonstrate the skill of Proactive and Positive Attitude at each of the competency levels in which it appears. Click on the plus sign to show the behaviours at that level.
Level 1
- Is proactive; recognises and acts when something needs doing.
- Demonstrates energy, gets on with the job and focuses on what’s important.
- Able to work effectively without supervision.
Level 2
- Looks ahead for needs, opportunities, and problems, and takes appropriate action.
- Motivates own performance, responds to tough challenges as opportunities, and is prepared to take a personal risk e.g. to move out of ‘comfort zone’.
Resources
Below you will find learning resources to help you develop the skill of Proactive and Positive Attitude. Click on the links to access the resources.
If you find yourself habitually too aggressive or passive/non-assertive, or have someone in your team who is, this PDF will help you to consciously shift towards a more productive balance of self and others, and/or help others to do so, as it explains what assertion is and how to achieve it.
How Do Values Work?
This PDF explains what values are and why they are important, as well as how they impact behaviour and relationships. Values underpin a lot of beliefs and attitudes, and can often be a source of conflict. Understanding how they work will enable you to tap into a person’s motivation and lead them more effectively.
Circle of Excellence
This is a technique to help you discover or remind yourself of your strengths and skills in dealing with difficult situations in the past and build your confidence using your past experience.
What's Expected of Me?
The performance management question covered in this PDF focuses on clarifying responsibilities and priorities, and is particularly useful for team members who are struggling with overwhelm or uncertainty about what part they play in the wider team or organisation. It is also useful for clarifying objectives for a team or organisation.
VIDEOS
Increasing Motivation for Work
This video (presented by a Professor of Applied
Neuroscience) explains what motivates individuals and how this affects
performance at work. Understanding this helps you to recognise different
triggers for creating a motivated state even when people are motivated
differently than you (which is moist likely). It provides tips for helping to
increase a sense of motivation at work.
Assert Yourself
This video provides an explanation of a
fundamentally important approach and mindset, being assertive, and how you or
others might adopt a less helpful one of being non-assertive, aggressive, or
avoiding. You will learn how to recognise the different approaches, if you need
to adjust how you behave and what you say to project a more
assertive/collaborative stance towards others, especially if they are using an
unhelpful approach towards you.
How Do Values Work?
This video explains what values are and why they
are important. Values underpin behaviours, beliefs, emotions, motivations, and
attitudes. Learn how to recognise and find out your own and others’ values and
build them into how you understand yourself, how you understand and approach
others, and how they enable you to motivate, lead and manage more effectively.
Be Your Best Self
This video explains three
different ways of viewing ourselves: the ‘Ideal’ (how you would like to be);
the ‘Actual’ (how you really are); and the ‘Ought’ (how you feel you should
be). When these three identities don’t align (for example, you would ideally be
more organised, but you’re actually quite disorganised) it can cause stress,
distractions, and behaviours that negatively impact you. Becoming aware of how
you view yourself in these different ways will help you address these problems,
enabling you to become more effective, focused, and calm.
Autonomy Questions
This video identifies useful questions to ask in order to clarify task requirements more effectively. It can help you if you are confused about the level of autonomy you want or have; or if you are unable to make decisions in situations that affect you. Also if you are having difficulty managing your time effectively, or where you are experiencing a feeling of inability to cope. The questions show you a process to help yourself or your team members who might also be experiencing some of these problems.
Role Profile
This video demonstrates a pie chart technique for you, someone you manage, or a whole team or business to quickly clarify and take stock of your/their goals, role, and responsibilities. Goal and role clarity can improve many situations – reduce wasted work, improve handovers, increase accountability, help relationships, drive engagement, and reduce stress.
ON THE JOB ACTIONS
Build Your Confidence
Read and/or watch Assert Yourself and this will be a platform for building your confidence. Review how you respond to others. Is it assertive, aggressive, or non-assertive? Is it consistent or does it vary from situation to situation?
Build Your Confidence
Watch Be Your Best Self for a technique to build your confidence.
Read and/or watch How Do Values Work? to understand what motivates you, and what’s important to you. Make sure that you ask what is important about your tasks (“What’s the purpose of this?” so you can focus on the right things and not just what matches your values and goals.
Watch Increasing Motivation for Work for a neuroscientist’s expert practical advice and explanation of how motivation actually works.
Knowing What to Look For
Being effective and proactive requires clarity on the sorts of areas that you can be looking out for. Read What's Expected of Me? and/or watch Role Profile for a good technique for achieving clarity in your role. Write down what you think you are responsible for using the pie chart technique then check it with your manager. You can also use the technique to clarify roles for your team members, so they can be more proactive.