All of us like to be in control to some extent. Being in control might feel like having the power to determine the outcomes, knowing what to expect and perhaps, avoiding the chance of being disappointed with what might feel like unknown.
Oxford dictionary defines the word control as “the power to influence or direct people’s behavior or the course of events”.
But, is being in control always a good thing? When do we need to let go of control?
The answer comes from being aware of how we interact in our workplaces. There are two opposite sides of control:
- Being too much in control might happen we we do not trust the people who we are working with. It can also limit creativity, freedom and learning of people we supervise. It can be quite frustrating to work with controllers and in the long run, it can lead to decrease in productivity.
- The other side of the line is when we give minimal control. Then we might miss the opportunities to motivate, teach, coach and sharpen the focus of our team. We might seem as uninterested and uninvested with our team.
Perhaps, there should be a shift in our mindset from being a controller towards being an inspirer. When we encounter situations that bring the controller side in us, we can transform our attitude from being controller to being an inspirer: inspirer of discipline, productivity, adherence to ethics and good leadership qualities.