How Much Control Do You Really Have?
By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO

We all like to believe we have a lot of control.  But, how much do we really have as leaders and individuals? Not as much as we often think.  How can this be?

Our world is going through extraordinary changes.  We have access to incredible amounts of information and opportunity.  Overnight, new markets – and competitors – emerge. And yet, with all this change, how much control do you feel you have?  Probably, a lot less than you used to. This is what I hear from leaders far and wide.

Today, will-power and choice interact with the speed of change.  And yet, we can easily become paralyzed or a hostage to our current environments.  Increasingly, it is important to be intentional about how you create your environment and establish your routines so that you can leverage the enormous amount of choices that are now available to you and your team.  So how do you take control?  I am seeing that being in control as a leader today means being in control of one’s behaviors and reacting to the world as it changes.  Creating intentional habits where you can “unplug” and reflect has become more critical than ever.  Giving other’s more responsibility so you can choose the best things for you to do as a leader has become more critical than ever.  Focusing on talent development – yours and that of everyone around you – gives you the best chance of responding effectively in this fast-changing world.

More and more, I am convinced that leaders have less actual control but more and more choices which requires them to be operating at their optimal capabilities.  This means paying more and more attention to what you can control and what you must change and adapt to.

If you are like me, this feels daunting – and exciting – all at the same time.  How does it make you feel?  What are you doing to prepare for the ever-increasing rate of change?  Can you identify what you can control – and what you cannot control?  These are all important questions in today’s economic and business climates. Grappling with them now can give you a much better assessment of how much control you really have.