Monday 27 June 2011

Take control or be controlled...

Hey Bloggers,
What kind of life do you lead?  Do you find events just piling up and you have too much to do?  Do you find you have absolutely nothing to do?  Are you a ‘yes man’ or can you say no?
‘Take control or be controlled by those who control.’
For some of us, control is our safety net.  We like to rely on others to make decisions for us as perhaps we do not want to responsibility – we may feel inadequate.  Confidence is the key to control.  Without believing in yourself, how can you make decisions for yourself – besides the decision to let someone else decide!  Despite the fact control is often geared by confidence and courage, is it always a good thing? 
Personally, I am a control freak.  If someone nominates me as a team leader, I like everything done to a specific standard and done in a specific time.  The teams I normally lead (in school projects) tend to like my leadership as if something is not done right, I just do it myself!  So they all get to relax.  My opinion is that people who like masses of control over people end up being the only ones able to complete tasks to their standards.  So from that point of view, control is a bad thing to have in a group.  Though, if you have a job whereby you work alone – perhaps as a teacher or lawyer – control is necessary and a great advantage as people need to do things your way.
Having control and just being picky may be linked somehow.  Leaders like me – who just like to get everything done to a specific standard – can be good but, there can be a great flaw.  The height in which the standards are can alter the way the team works.  Sometimes, people set the standards too high, I mean the standards don’t even need to be as high as they are set.  This is where I believe control fails.  If you lead a team, you can’t make them all you, though some of us – including me – despite knowing that try to.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I am better than anyone else – I just like everyone’s work to follow a trend when collated...
Alright, maybe my leadership skills need some altering.  Despite the fact I love leading a group, I also don’t mind being part of a group and following the lead.  For a start the work load is greatly reduced on me and I only need to focus in one area of the project.  I don’t even need to care about anyone else as, the group leader will do it – or should do it.  I think I will rephrase the statement, I don’t mind being part of a group and following a good lead!  Perhaps those of us who are picky, pedantic leaders are the ones who are better led?  Unless of course we truly are experts in whatever we are leading and do know exactly what we are talking about – though that is a different matter.
There is also the other end of the spectrum.  A lot of my family members work in large corporations and have large teams.  They say the people who do not make any decisions are the people who are at the bottom of the business.  Risk taking seems to really shine.  So, these people who are controlled don’t seem to get very far.  Perhaps the risks we take define us.  You could be known as the person who made a big mistake or the person who made a massive difference (positive).  Either way, all leaders have got to their positions through some form of control.  So, I think in order to become a leader you must first control yourself.  Whether or not you make a good leader is another story.
What do you think?  Do you prefer to lead a team or be part of one?  What type of leader are you, if so?  Let me know in the comments below and follow me here or on Twitter@

10 comments:

  1. The motto I live by: Neither a leader nor a follower be.

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  2. I like leading as long as I'm pretty sure of what I'm doing. I also like sitting back and letting other, competent, people lead. As long as the person in the front is doing everything right, I'm happy to sit back and just do my part. If the leader is doing poorly however, I don't mind stepping up and showing (or telling) people what to do. As always, nice post. :)

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  3. The only person I know I can control is myself. To the rest of the world, I can offer meaningful suggestions, but its futile trying to control them. In my experience, I have found it is easier to lead people who are motivated to learn and grow. Cheers!

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  4. Thank you all for your comments so far, I see none of you are really power hungry, you just like to get the job done!

    Thanks again all :D

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  5. Instead of being a leader I prefer being under the authority of a leader whose decisions are made by the suggestions of his followers.

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  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  7. I think to be a great leader, is part of listening to the people you are trying to lead. Everyone is a control freak to an extent, I am definitely not the person to follow others, but I know that I can learn from others and that can make me a better leader. Don't you think?

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  8. I can follow others if this goes in my favor but i can never ever listen anything unjust.I don't consider myself a "yes sir" man i have some of my egos.. :)

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  10. This has totally changed my life! Your a real inspiration.

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