Let’s face it…owning a business has many challenges.

Through the years, I have found that attaining the right skills to be a strong leader is top of that list.  How you carry yourself in your office will be mirrored by your team and will ultimately become the image of your practice.  This idea may be a hard to accept for some of us, but nonetheless, it is true.

I believe at the core if every good leader is a common trait of being proactive.  A proactive person understands that she is responsible for her own life; how the act and what they do is a result of decisions they made based on value.   There is a lot of meaning in that statement, so please read it again.  Proactive leaders do not execute decisions based on emotions and conditions; they have initiative and feel the responsibility to make things happen.

So how can you be more proactive?

1. Don’t be driven by your feelings. I realize that like the Tin Man, most of us do not walk the yellow brick road looking for a heart. We are all humans and have feelings.  A strong leader should have heart but make decisions based on core values.
2. Sit on your impulse moments. Have you ever made a decision when you were upset that you regretted later or maybe you bought some fancy new equipment at a CE conference because you got all excited and told yourself, “I deserve it”?  You’re not the only one! It is easy to get swept up in a moment.  Go ahead and enjoy the moment, just don’t base your decisions on one.
3. Accept responsibility for your actions. This is so important!!  Often, people search for blame when something goes wrong.  Nothing proactive comes from accusations and negativity.  Evaluate what went wrong, how you got there, and acknowledge it.  Mistakes happen. Using them as a learning tool can make a mistake turn into a great learning experience and growth.
4. Use proactive language. How often do you hear people say things as if they are trying to absolve themselves of any responsibility for what is going on in their lives? “I had to do that”, “They won’t let me” or “I’m just built this way”.  Proactive people understand that they have a choice.  They understand that whatever situation they are in, is a result of previous decisions they made and their future will be based on the next decision they make…nobody else and no circumstance controls their lives but them. “I chose to do that”.
5. Keep your commitments. If you say you are going to do something, then make sure you do it! Proactive people have integrity, and integrity builds trust.  Every time you break a commitment you are being dishonest to a relationship and to yourself.

So, the bottom line is: know yourself and your core values and base all of your decisions on that.  To run a successful office and truly feel successful, you must be proactive and you need to have proactive people on your team supporting you.