How Reactive Leadership Is Holding You Back

Hi Leader,

Welcome to this week’s leadership insights from this week's LinkedIn training, where we explore strategies to help you simplify leadership and amplify your impact. In this edition, we’re exploring the timely topic of reactive versus proactive leadership—crucial in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing work environments.

Why Reactive Leadership is a Problem

We are all familiar with the pressure to constantly react to crises, right? You're continually putting out fires, running from one issue to the next. However, this reactive approach comes with a cost: burnout, disengaged employees, and reduced productivity.

A recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management highlighted the rise in incivility in the workplace. But why are people acting out in these ways? It often boils down to reactive leadership—leaders responding to situations emotionally without considering long-term effects.

Understanding the Brain’s Role

When leaders react, it’s often a result of "emotional hijacking." The amygdala—the part of the brain responsible for emotional responses—overrides the prefrontal cortex, which handles rational decision-making. This results in leaders acting out of fear or frustration, negatively impacting team dynamics and trust.

Leaders in this reactive cycle often exhibit short-term thinking, focusing only on the immediate crisis rather than the long-term strategy. They are in "fight, flight, freeze, or fawn" mode, which diminishes their ability to lead effectively.

Shifting Toward Proactive Leadership

Proactive leaders take a different approach. They focus on anticipating and preventing problems, empowering their teams to handle challenges before they escalate. They leverage their prefrontal cortex to plan and focus on long-term strategic goals.

Here are three critical variables that proactive leaders need to master:

1. Mindset: Understanding and managing your emotional triggers is critical. Awareness is the first step in switching from reactive to proactive leadership.?

2. Skills: Effective leaders must hone their communication and delegation skills. Mastering these skills ensures that you can lead calmly, even under pressure.

3. Strategy: Proactive leaders focus on long-term, strategic planning. They align their team’s goals with the organization’s mission, even in times of uncertainty.

The Importance of Cognitive Flexibility

Being a proactive leader doesn’t mean you’ll never face moments of reactivity. The goal is to develop cognitive flexibility—the ability to adapt between reactive and proactive responses depending on the situation. By recognizing your own patterns and emotional triggers, you can respond more thoughtfully and lead with greater impact.

Watch Training Replay on LinkedIn by clicking the image below or click here now.

Interested in more leadership development?

Join my monthly Amplify Leadership program to help leaders like you master the mindset, skills, and strategies needed to simplify leadership and amplify your impact.?

Visit https://drdenisesimpson.com/amplify for more details!

See you next week!

Denise Simpson, Ph.D.