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Making Things Happen: A Model of Proactive Motivation

Parker, Sharon K., Bindl, Uta K., Strauss, Karoline·2010·Journal of Management
DOI 10.1177/0149206310363732
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Abstract

Being proactive is about making things happen, anticipating and preventing problems, and seizing opportunities. It involves self-initiated efforts to bring about change in the work environment and/or oneself to achieve a different future. The authors develop existing perspectives on this topic by identifying proactivity as a goal-driven process involving both the setting of a proactive goal (proactive goal generation) and striving to achieve that proactive goal (proactive goal striving). The authors identify a range of proactive goals that individuals can pursue in organizations. These vary on two dimensions: the future they aim to bring about (achieving a better personal fit within one’s work environment, improving the organization’s internal functioning, or enhancing the organization’s strategic fit with its environment) and whether the self or situation is being changed. The authors then identify “can do,” “reason to,” and “energized to” motivational states that prompt proactive goal generation and sustain goal striving. Can do motivation arises from perceptions of self-efficacy, control, and (low) cost. Reason to motivation relates to why someone is proactive, including reasons flowing from intrinsic, integrated, and identified motivation. Energized to motivation refers to activated positive affective states that prompt proactive goal processes. The authors suggest more distal antecedents, including individual differences (e.g., personality, values, knowledge and ability) as well as contextual variations in leadership, work design, and interpersonal climate, that influence the proactive motivational states and thereby boost or inhibit proactive goal processes. Finally, the authors summarize priorities for future research.

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  • Under uncertainty, individuals benefit from cognitive flexibility, creativity and proactivity, behaviours that are more likely to emerge when people have self-determined motivation.

    “However, under conditions of uncertainty, individuals will benefit from showing cognitive flexibility, creativity and proactivity, all behaviours that are more likely to emerge when people have self-determined motivation40,41,44,46–49,57.”

    From Understanding and shaping the future of work with self-determination theory (2022) · cites this paper as [40]

  • Future work tasks are likely to demand high-level cognitive and emotional skills, which are more likely to be developed, used and sustained when supported by self-determined motivation.

    “Importantly, the work tasks that people are more likely to do in future work will require high-level cognitive and emotional skills that are more likely to be developed, used, and sustained when underpinned by self-determined motivation40–50.”

    From Understanding and shaping the future of work with self-determination theory (2022) · cites this paper as [40]

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Authors
Parker, S. K., Bindl, U. K., & Strauss, K.
Affiliations
  • The University of Western Australia (AU)
  • University of Sheffield (GB)
Corresponding author
Parker, Sharon K.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Management
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2010-05-14
Volume
36
Issue
4
Pages
827-856
ISSN
  • 0149-2063 (ISSN-L)
  • 1557-1211
DOI
10.1177/0149206310363732
OpenAlex
W1980279180
Cited by
2,096
References
18
Citations by year
2026: 242 · 2025: 211 · 2024: 237 · 2023: 166 · 2022: 229 · 2021: 185 · 2020: 156 · 2019: 135 · 2018: 109 · 2017: 93 · 2016: 80 · 2015: 71 · 2014: 61 · 2013: 48 · 2012: 47
FWCI
68.88
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Management (publishedVersion)
  • Warwick Research Archive Portal (University of Warwick) (acceptedVersion)
  • London School of Economics and Political Science Research Online (London School of Economics and Political Science) (acceptedVersion)
  • UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Human Behavior and Motivation
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Leadership, Courage, and Heroism Studies
Keywords
proactive behavior, proactive motivation, self-efficacy, perceived control, intrinsic motivation, identified motivation, integrated motivation, positive affect, individual differences, leadership, job design, interpersonal climate, organizational change

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