20/11/2025
Where does your power lie?
Do you ever feel at the affect of the world around around you - relatively helpless given the circumstances?
When people have an external locus of control, their power sits outside of themselves, limiting their belief that they can bring about change. This is not helpful.
A client of mine last week was buzzing (that's the good part!) but she attributed the positive change in her experience as being down to the luck of being on leave for a few days. However, when she outlined the specifics that had improved, they were all work related. She had done things differently and guess what... the outcomes had changed (closer to what she wanted).
This individual, like so many, had fallen into the trap of feeling powerless. Explaining how her actions over the last few weeks have brought about change, my client shifted towards understanding that she plays a part in determining her future.
Here are 3 tips about how to increase an internal sense of power:
1️⃣ If you spot the tendency to ignore your internal locus of control in yourself or others, identify the parts of a problem that ARE within your control and focus on changing those.
2️⃣ Be clear about the connection between your actions and the outcomes. Help people unpick what they did differently and what the specific impact was. In other words, shut down passive perceptions.
3️⃣ Avoid using generalised language such as "That was great!" or "Good luck!" and instead be specific... "You were great at engaging the audience with your stories!" or "Remember you nailed the presentation last time - practice as you did then and you'll do well."
People need to be aware that everything they do or don't do has an impact on the world around them. Raise awareness of that. And increase power for taking control.
Positive change starts with understanding how your workforce ticks. Support them to develop the knowledge and skills needed to put themselves in their best place and to bring about the success you want.
