What Do We Control? – ElPropósito3 min de lectura

How much control do we really have?

Photo by pixpoetry on Unsplash

We naturally believe we’re in control of a situation when the opposite is true. Overconfidence, a lack of empathy and a relentless need for certainty keep us chasing control. The lesson of this crisis is that whatever sense of power we had before simply vanished, which means it was always an illusion. So the question is: how do we know what really falls within our influence and command? Read on.

Our minds can be extremely lazy and will happily take the simple road. Getting to the bottom of things and learning enough to decide well usually takes effort and discipline. A false sense of control feeds overconfidence, and that tends to end badly for the person who thinks they’re in charge and for everyone around them.

Where controlling every situation at any cost is prized, the culture that takes hold is the opposite of healthy competition. People copy and stop innovating, bossing gets rewarded over leading, and decisions drift toward hunches and away from the collective intelligence of the group.

Continuous learning, empathy and leadership in its full range treat control as one more tool for getting results. Keeping that triad in mind makes us more aware of the need to build self-confidence, which in turn eases the relentless need for control I mentioned at the start.

We also need to be aware of every situation we’re in. The constant urge to control usually backfires. Learning to widen our thinking, think more about others and create spaces of trust (where listening is the most abundant thing) may be the key to seeing how much is truly under our control, and to enjoying life more.

Warm regards and all the best,

Rodrigo Baccaro

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Einstein

P.S. This week’s VELA:

What I’ve been Viewing: Perspectives on Food Security. A powerful SmartWebinar we organized with Zamorano graduates, featuring an outstanding panel of women Zamorano alumni. They share plenty of valuable information on the topic from several angles: financial, institutional, business and research, among others.

What I’ve been Listening to: LewisLuong Relaxation Cafe. An excellent YouTube channel, well worth subscribing to. I’ve been finding the playlists that help me concentrate best while I work, something I’d never have imagined before.

What I’ve been Reading: The Execution Premium. One of the books I most enjoy reading and rereading. I’ve long been fascinated by the link between formulating a strategy and the gap that usually opens when it’s executed. A wonderful book I highly recommend.

What I’ve been Learning: Telegram bots. I only recently discovered this messaging app. My favorite part has been exploring its bots, smart chats powered by artificial intelligence. Give them a try. They’re great.

Author: Rodrigo Baccaro

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