Greetings!
This month's topic was our focus in April of 2005, and it seemed an appropriate time to take a new look at it. I continue to run into leaders with serious control issues. They work so hard to micro-manage every aspect of their business (including all the people in it) that they don't even realize the consequences it has on their overall results. No one wants to be caught by surprise and we all want the best possible outcomes from our decisions but how much control is too much? Read the article and see if you can find out.
All the best,
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The Paradox of Letting Go
Every leader struggles with trust; how much to delegate? How important should the tasks that are delegated be? How do we know when someone is "ready" for the next level of accountability? Is there a balance between micro-managing and complete autonomy?
This points to the differences between management and leadership. Consider "the paradox of letting go" from Lao Tzu. This philosophy says "when I let go of what I am I become what I might be".
We never intend to come across as controlling or untrusting, but
when we insert ourselves in the middle of projects without being invited, it sends a message that "the situation is clearly so out of control it deems my immediate attention". It forces people to take the defense, disrupts any momentum they may have, or causes them to check out completely and disengage from the project and from you. They think, "Why invest the time and energy if you are just going to take over and do it your way anyway?"
There is also some law of nature at play when it comes to control; sometimes the things you work the hardest to command just slip through your tightly grasped hands. Instead, the more relaxed and centered you are about outcomes the more positive energy is drawn to you. If you aren't getting the results you  want, raise your self-awareness about the issues that you chronically attempt to control. Ask for feedback on the times when you get in the middle "trying to help". And trust in the people and process around you. You may find a calmer peace of mind to go with it. There is no greater self-imposed pressure than the need to control the entire universe around you. Hint: It isn't about you -
let it go . There is a certain sense of serenity that comes with surrendering and accepting that unintended consequences aren't always terrible.
Think of the power of leadership over management:
- When I give up trying to be in control (management), I have greater influence (leadership).
- When I let go of my fear of failure (management), I am stronger (leadership).
- When I stop dictating to my team (management), I allow them to show me their capabilities (leadership).
What I learn by trying to control others is that my team can follow instructions; what I never learn is the potential waiting inside them. Management is about power, leadership is about liberation. In the moments of greatest desire to control, consider letting go. You will be pleasantly surprised by the results.
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