Building a legendary revenue career depends on your ability to bring new ideas that shape how others think about your business.

To do this, you have to go from reactive to proactive. For example:

Reactive: Waiting to be told to chase down a report that answers a question someone else is asking.

Proactive: Guiding the conversation by asking (and answering) the right questions that challenge and guide your company’s strategy.

Even more simply:

Reactive: Let me get that for you

Proactive: Let me tell you what we should be asking

When I think about rising stars at Clari, these are people who have the courage to take big swings on new ideas.

I’m aware, it’s risky. But playing it safe rarely leads to remarkable results. Instead, bring new ideas that shape your company’s strategy and how executives think.

Here’s how to put today’s advice into practice:

1. Where are you currently being reactive?
2. Where are there more opportunities to be proactive?

Think it through, identify where you can add value, then act with conviction.