Yes, I'm concerned but what can I do about it?
Yes, I'm concerned but what can I do about it? *Covey's 1st
Habit - Be Proactive (part 2)
The second main component of the first habit is around what
Covey calls the "circle of influence". While this is quite a
basic concept, it probably will have the biggest influence on
your behaviour as it did mine.
The problem I have so early in my "Strive for leadership" is
deciding where I turn first, there seems so much I need to learn
and so many tools or habits I need to focus on that I simply
have not the time to do them all. How similar is this to when
you want to lead? You want to start to make a real difference
and feel as a leader you have some sort of obligation to do so.
This habit will help direct you.
Circle of Influence (COI): The concept is that everyone has a
limit to their influence. Things over which we have no
influence, are outside this circle. It's about recognizing that
there are things over which we have no influence. Sounds easy!
What's for breakfast, what book to read? How about Global
warming, or local tax rates?
Circle of Concern (COC): Covey also talks about a "circle of
concern". This circle includes all things that we are
significantly concerned about. This tends to be easier. However
it does require us to grade these concerns. There is an
underlying assumption that you can only be concerned about a
limited number of things. For some of us this is hard. The point
is really 'most' concerned. I find this worked fo me at
different levels - at work, at home and personally. I still
found though I could only have three general issues at each of
these levels and had to accept that there were some things that
I was not as concerned about as I felt I should be. This is
about passion, and while it's a whole other topic I had to
question what concerns I was most passionate about. This
certainly helped me in this process.
The lesson is in the balance and where we spend our time and
effort.
My experience is that both my COI and COC are smaller than I
initially thought and that the assessment of both is
interrelated.
I became distracted by issues that I had some, but not a lot, of
influence over. My level of concern became the driver to trying
to justify some influence. What I was confusing was the actual
and goal.
The main question is, why spend time and effort on things
outside our circle of influence, even if they are within our
circle of concern? It would simply be a waste of effort. Now
this scenario is not necessarily unhealthy. There are many
things that concern me that are way beyond my influence. I guess
what I need to do is accept how much I can impact them, and if I
am sufficiently concerned, work toward expanding my circle of
influence so I can make a difference. That's a goal and where
the real lesson in this is. We decide for ourselves what
concerns us but often we feel our circle of influence is
dictated for us. This is simply not true.
What if I spent my energies trying to impact what I was
concerned about, even though I had no influence? Working outside
my influence I am doing nothing but being further controlled by
concerns I can do little about. Covey states that if you spend
energy on things outside your influence, that circle starts to
reduce in size. The opposite is the key.
I was in a group where productivity was poor and not improving.
The leader became dictatorial in the belief it was within his
COI. All this did was reduce his influence as people switched
off even more. In an almost identical position in another group
the leader recognised his degree of influence and that he could
not simply dictate better productivity. Instead he worked where
he did have the influence, on a few relationships and enabling
assistance for what people saw as blockages to their work. His
COI expanded as people started to understand his COC.
By putting our energies into things inside our circle of
influence it will begin to expand. It comes down to if there is
something you want to change; you may as well start where you
can make a difference. How often is the only thing you have
influence over, your own reaction? Thinking back to part 1 of
the first habit.... Being proactive is to choose how you
respond. To choose to work inside your circle of influence is
clearly a good response choice.
Actions: One of the best parts of this book is turning theory
into action. At the end of each chapter Covey provides a number
of very tangible and achievable actions to help us implement
what we have learnt in the preceding chapter. The big one that I
am working on is the last: Proactivity - The Thirty-Day Test You
really need to read the book for this one but the top three
points are: 1.Work only in your circle of influence 2. Make only
small commitments 3. Observe yourself without judging I have
found this especially hard in my current situation. As I go, I
am discovering more about what is inside my COI. What is saving
me is having someone else help me with the observing part. We
get together at the end of each week and I go through what I did
that I thought was within my COI. My coach (being someone I
selected as a coach!) would then observe and comment on where
they saw these activities falling. The best part was then what
did we think the impact on my COI was. Initially it was very
little but as the weeks have progressed we have both noticed
changes in the environment I am working in.
I urge you to try this. There is no down side and I am finding
it a very empowering experience. I mentioned that I chose a
coach. I found this to be vital. My head is full of too much
stuff to be sufficiently objective. Choosing a coach is an
important decision, and a complete subject in its own right.
It's time to take some real action, its time to be brave!
Cheers Steve