Your Control Problems Are Caused by Your Weaknesses with Starting, Changing or Stopping
“Franticness, helplessness, incompetence, inefficiency and other undesirable factors in a job are all traceable to inabilities to start, change and stop things.”
“No business can succeed unless it has been properly started, unless it is progressing through time or changing position in space and unless it is capable of stopping harmful practices and even competitors.”
“Thus the secret of doing a good job is the secret of control itself. One not only continues to create a job, day by day, week by week, month by month, he also continues the job by permitting it to progress, and he is also capable of stopping or ending any cycle of work and letting it remain finished.” from The Problems of Work
To improve your control, you strengthen the part of control that is most difficult for you. To do this, start by identifying your weakest part. Which is most difficult for you: starting, changing or stopping?
Signs You Have Difficulties Starting Things
You have many ideas that you never implement. You make notes and even write down plans, but you never start them.
You may even obtain the material you need to do a job, but do not start it. For example, you buy the tools and materials to build a dog house, but never actually start to build the dog house.
You might have big goals, great plans or incredible dreams, but you never take that first step.
Signs You Have Difficulties Changing Things
You may take the first step on a work project, but you never get much done.
You might leave things incomplete. For example, you paint a wall with the first coat, but never get around to putting on the second coat.
You might follow the same routine you learned in school or have had for years, even though you know a better way exists.
You possibly make big resolutions every New Year and do well for a day or two. Yet you never really make the change.
Signs You Have Difficulties Stopping Things
You probably have bad habits that you cannot break. You might say, “I just can't stop myself.”
You may hate to throw things away, even if they are useless. Your closets are stuffed with worthless junk.
If you force yourself to finish a project, you are likely to leave your tools lying around as you hate to clean up after yourself.
If you are a boss, you take too long to fire employees, even though they deserve it. Stopping people, who are damaging your operation, may be difficult for you. You may also have a hard time ending bad relationships or forgiving people.
When you give a job or object to someone, you have a hard time leaving him or her alone. You can't stop possessing the responsibility or the object.
Signs You Are Fixated on Start, Change or Stop
Control is also difficult if you are fixated or obsessed with starting, changing or stopping things.
For example, you are constantly starting new programs or projects. Every week or so you start a new project or two. Unfortunately, they do you no good as you or your group cannot complete all the things you start.
Or you are constantly changing things. You do not like the way things are. You are never satisfied. Unfortunately, you end up changing things that should be left alone.
Or maybe you like to stop things a little too much. Your first reaction to any change is to stop it or end it. If you are a boss, you fire people too quickly. You throw things away you later need. Or maybe you feel like a police officer and constantly try to stop bad things from happening. Unfortunately, you end up stopping good things, as well.
Recommendations
1. Determine your biggest problem: starting things, changing things or stopping things.
2. Write down how you can improve this weakness this week.
3. As you make these improvements, notice how your control improves.
4. Keep working on your weakest areas until you enjoy more success. When you can easily and effectively start, change and stop things when they need to be started, changed or stopped, you are in control.
Remember the most important aspect of your life that you can control is your thoughts.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Take Control, Part Two
“Control consists entirely of starting, changing and stopping. There are no other factors in positive control. If one can start something, change its position in space or existence in time and stop it, all at will, he can be said to control it, whatever it may be. If one can barely manage to start something, can only with difficulty continue its change of position or existence in time and if one can only doubtfully stop something, he cannot be said to control it well, and for our purposes he would be said to be able to control it poorly or dangerously. If he cannot start something, if he cannot change its position in space, if he cannot stop something, then he is definitely not in control of it.”
Start
If you are a boss, a parent or a leader, you know how difficult it can be to control others. Yet when you control people properly, they like it!
People feel satisfied when you control them properly. You start them, allow them to make changes and then stop them when they are finished.
“Jill, please bring me the red pen . . .” (Start) “. . . and put it right there.” (Change) “Thank you very much.” (Stop)
People do not like you to control them when you mess up any of the three points.
For example, if a business does not start its employees by telling them when they should arrive for work, people just start work when they get around to it. The late starters irritate the prompt starters. Some might not start at all. The business is a messy confusion.
So if you want to control a group or an individual, you need to give a clean “START” and then let them get on with it. “Everyone must be here at 8:00 AM for staff meeting. Not 8:01! We will start the meeting at 8:00.” Of course, you then make sure the meeting starts exactly at 8:00.
Change
Once you start someone, you create problems if you prevent the change portion of the cycle. For example, you tell one of your staff members, “Dave, please sweep up this room.”
Just as he gets out the broom, you say, “Dave, you need to file these papers right now.”
After he files a few papers, you say, “Hurry Dave, go get me a box!”
You earn better cooperation if you let people complete the change without interruption.
“Dave, please sweep up this room.”
Stop
The final mistake you can make when controlling people is not stopping them. For example, you fail to notice they are done and do not acknowledge them for finishing. If you do not stop people, they may tend to keep working on the project indefinitely.
For example, you say, “You swept up the room very well.”
If you don't stop the cycle, you lose control. By cleanly stopping the cycle, you complete your control on that matter. People are now open to your next cycle of control. You are in charge.
When people discover that you cleanly start, change and stop them, you can ask and obtain more and more from them. You can give complicated instructions, long lists of tasks and major projects. They feel comfortable with your control as they know you will let them complete the work and acknowledge them when they are done.
Some people believe you need to use fear, force or threats to control people. The government and certain institutions get a bad reputation for using fear and threat. This type of control makes you feel like you are a slave.
A business manager runs into trouble when he tries the same type of control. His or her employees revolt!
Fortunately, you will find that using the information in this article will put you in much better control than fear, force or threats. Simply start, change and stop people, cheerfully, cleanly and consistently.
Exercise
1. Write down the name of someone you want to control.
2. Write what end result you want the person to accomplish.
3. Plan how you will:
A. Start him or her
B. Allow or direct the needed changes or activities
C. Bring him or her to a stop
4. Finally, follow the steps of your plan.
Example:
1. You want to control your 10-year-old son, Joey. He gets upset when you tell him to clean his room.
2. You want Joey to clean up his room when you ask and without any drama.
3. You work out your plan.
A. You get him to agree on a time to start. “Joey, in 10 minutes, I'd like you to start cleaning up your room.”
B. You will direct the change part of the cycle by watching and helping, as needed. “You're doing a good job Joey. Let's look under the bed now . . . “
C. You acknowledge his good work. “Joey, that is a really clean room! Good job!”
4. You then follow your plan. Joey calms down, cleans his room and feels proud of himself.
Example:
1. The only person who understands your computer is also a jerk. Russ is constantly complaining about your old equipment.
2. The end result that you want is that Russ does his job without complaining.
3. You work out your plan.
A. You decide on how to get Russ to start. “Russ, instead of just showing up this week, can you start at 10:30 on Wednesday? Great.”
B. You plan on how to change Russ. “Russ, I know our equipment is old which is why we need your help. Instead of complaining, it would be great if we could just make it work, okay?”
C. You plan on how to stop Russ. “Russ, you did a great job. I'll take it from here. Thanks.”
4. You implement your plan with Russ. At first, he is resistive to your control. But you persist and gain small pieces of control until you are successfully starting, changing and stopping Russ. You are soon in control of the relationship.
So starting with step 1, who would you like to control?
Start
If you are a boss, a parent or a leader, you know how difficult it can be to control others. Yet when you control people properly, they like it!
People feel satisfied when you control them properly. You start them, allow them to make changes and then stop them when they are finished.
“Jill, please bring me the red pen . . .” (Start) “. . . and put it right there.” (Change) “Thank you very much.” (Stop)
People do not like you to control them when you mess up any of the three points.
For example, if a business does not start its employees by telling them when they should arrive for work, people just start work when they get around to it. The late starters irritate the prompt starters. Some might not start at all. The business is a messy confusion.
So if you want to control a group or an individual, you need to give a clean “START” and then let them get on with it. “Everyone must be here at 8:00 AM for staff meeting. Not 8:01! We will start the meeting at 8:00.” Of course, you then make sure the meeting starts exactly at 8:00.
Change
Once you start someone, you create problems if you prevent the change portion of the cycle. For example, you tell one of your staff members, “Dave, please sweep up this room.”
Just as he gets out the broom, you say, “Dave, you need to file these papers right now.”
After he files a few papers, you say, “Hurry Dave, go get me a box!”
You earn better cooperation if you let people complete the change without interruption.
“Dave, please sweep up this room.”
Stop
The final mistake you can make when controlling people is not stopping them. For example, you fail to notice they are done and do not acknowledge them for finishing. If you do not stop people, they may tend to keep working on the project indefinitely.
For example, you say, “You swept up the room very well.”
If you don't stop the cycle, you lose control. By cleanly stopping the cycle, you complete your control on that matter. People are now open to your next cycle of control. You are in charge.
When people discover that you cleanly start, change and stop them, you can ask and obtain more and more from them. You can give complicated instructions, long lists of tasks and major projects. They feel comfortable with your control as they know you will let them complete the work and acknowledge them when they are done.
Some people believe you need to use fear, force or threats to control people. The government and certain institutions get a bad reputation for using fear and threat. This type of control makes you feel like you are a slave.
A business manager runs into trouble when he tries the same type of control. His or her employees revolt!
Fortunately, you will find that using the information in this article will put you in much better control than fear, force or threats. Simply start, change and stop people, cheerfully, cleanly and consistently.
Exercise
1. Write down the name of someone you want to control.
2. Write what end result you want the person to accomplish.
3. Plan how you will:
A. Start him or her
B. Allow or direct the needed changes or activities
C. Bring him or her to a stop
4. Finally, follow the steps of your plan.
Example:
1. You want to control your 10-year-old son, Joey. He gets upset when you tell him to clean his room.
2. You want Joey to clean up his room when you ask and without any drama.
3. You work out your plan.
A. You get him to agree on a time to start. “Joey, in 10 minutes, I'd like you to start cleaning up your room.”
B. You will direct the change part of the cycle by watching and helping, as needed. “You're doing a good job Joey. Let's look under the bed now . . . “
C. You acknowledge his good work. “Joey, that is a really clean room! Good job!”
4. You then follow your plan. Joey calms down, cleans his room and feels proud of himself.
Example:
1. The only person who understands your computer is also a jerk. Russ is constantly complaining about your old equipment.
2. The end result that you want is that Russ does his job without complaining.
3. You work out your plan.
A. You decide on how to get Russ to start. “Russ, instead of just showing up this week, can you start at 10:30 on Wednesday? Great.”
B. You plan on how to change Russ. “Russ, I know our equipment is old which is why we need your help. Instead of complaining, it would be great if we could just make it work, okay?”
C. You plan on how to stop Russ. “Russ, you did a great job. I'll take it from here. Thanks.”
4. You implement your plan with Russ. At first, he is resistive to your control. But you persist and gain small pieces of control until you are successfully starting, changing and stopping Russ. You are soon in control of the relationship.
So starting with step 1, who would you like to control?
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Take Control, Part One
Like money or nuclear power, control can be used for good or evil. You can use it to harm, suppress or destroy lives. Or you can use it to help people, increase your income and improve the world around you.
Negative, destructive control gives control a bad name. Yet positive, constructive control is essential to successful living. No control over your job, family or life leads to failure.
When you are not in control of your sphere of operation, you feel stress, fear and frustration.
When you are in control, you make progress, enjoy your work and achieve success.
Taking better control of yourself, your time, career, business, equipment, computers, marriage, family, personal property, bad habits and so on, is much easier when you understand and apply these five facts about control.
1. Control is the biggest difference between success and failure.
2. Control consists of three parts: Start, Change and Stop.
3. Your control problems are based on your weaknesses with starting or changing or stopping.
4. If you try to control people or things outside your sphere of operation, you fail.
5. To succeed, you must let others control you.
Control Is the Difference Between Success and Failure
Certain symptoms show how well you control your job.
10 Signs You Are Not in Control of Your Work
*Easily fatigued or exhausted
*Work area is messy and disorganized
*Job is not interesting
*Easily stressed
*Need constant help
*See no way to improve performance
*Easily confused by others while on the job
*Frequently think of quitting
*Frantically react to emergencies
*You cannot conceive of greater productivity
10 Signs You Are in Control of Your Work
*Energized, motivated
*Work area is neat and organized
*Work is interesting and enjoyable
*Feel challenged, not stressed
*Effectively supervise self
*Constantly looking for ways to improve
*Rarely confused while on the job
*Frequently thinking of more responsibility
*Rationally respond to emergencies
*You have good ideas for increasing productivity
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being in full control, how well do you control of your job? Your home life? Your possessions? Your personal habits? Your success?
Recommendations
1. Make a list of all your duties, responsibilities and areas of your life.
2. Rate your control of each on a scale of 1 to 10.
3. Work out a plan to take a little more control of each.
Negative, destructive control gives control a bad name. Yet positive, constructive control is essential to successful living. No control over your job, family or life leads to failure.
When you are not in control of your sphere of operation, you feel stress, fear and frustration.
When you are in control, you make progress, enjoy your work and achieve success.
Taking better control of yourself, your time, career, business, equipment, computers, marriage, family, personal property, bad habits and so on, is much easier when you understand and apply these five facts about control.
1. Control is the biggest difference between success and failure.
2. Control consists of three parts: Start, Change and Stop.
3. Your control problems are based on your weaknesses with starting or changing or stopping.
4. If you try to control people or things outside your sphere of operation, you fail.
5. To succeed, you must let others control you.
Certain symptoms show how well you control your job.
10 Signs You Are Not in Control of Your Work
10 Signs You Are in Control of Your Work
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being in full control, how well do you control of your job? Your home life? Your possessions? Your personal habits? Your success?
Recommendations
1. Make a list of all your duties, responsibilities and areas of your life.
2. Rate your control of each on a scale of 1 to 10.
3. Work out a plan to take a little more control of each.
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