[1] Proactive behavior involves acting in advance of a future situation, rather than reacting.
The author, Austrian existential neuropsychiatrist Dr. Viktor Frankl, used the word to describe a person who took responsibility for his or her life, rather than looking for causes in outside circumstances or other people.
Frankl stressed the importance of courage, perseverance, individual responsibility and awareness of the existence of choices, regardless of the situation or context.
Employees can be proactive in their prescribed role (e.g. by changing the way they perform a core task to be more efficient).
It aims at the identification and exploring of opportunities in taking action against the potential problems and threats.