Quote-A-Day: Day 161

Trying to control people is like trying to control weather. No matter what you do, a storm will eventually come. #QuoteADay #Day161 #edchat

You can’t control the weather.

And you can’t control people.

Leaders who try to control those they work with (and for) are bound for failure (and not the good kind).  

Why?  Simply because at some point, those who are being controlled (or attempted to) won’t want to be controlled anymore, and when that happens, chaos will ensue.

A bit about chaos: In reality, a small amount is a good thing.  We tend to be at our most creative and innovative when a bit of structure is removed and we’re free to think differently.  But, the chaos I’m referring to is the chaos that occurs when all heck breaks loose.

That chaos is of a different species, and just like the tornados that form during massive thunderstorms, sometimes there is no warning that they are going to occur. 

While this type of weather chaos can’t be prevented, the leadership chaos that ensues from too much control can be addressed. 

By simply providing those we serve with a bit of freedom and responsibility, we can provide for deeper innovation and creative thinking, improve morale and mood, and reduce some of the weight that is placed on the shoulders of the leaders we are (and the other leaders we work with).

We might like to have our hands in the pie at all times, but it’s messy, and afterwards, no one wants to eat it.  Better to let those who are going to eat the pie have an opportunity to put their own hands in, if they’re so inclined.