For any company to succeed, the activities of its employees need to be controlled, organized, structured, and systematized to an appropriate level.

 

But what about the leaders who do the controlling?

 

That’s a bit trickier. When it comes to leading and managing employees, who are the most important part of any business, excessive control can destroy leaders, missions, and organizations.

 

Leaders must move their visions forward, and rather than commanding and controlling, the only effective and sustainable way to do that is to adopt a mindset of inspiring and empowering.

 

The Illusion of Control bias can cause captains to overestimate the degree of influence they have over random circumstances, external events, and people.

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And the more perfectionistic these captains are, the more likely they are to be tangled in their illusion of control.

 

The illusion of control mind knot compromises the effectiveness of these captains significantly by creating an alternate reality within which they operate, leading them to believe they have far more control than they actually do.

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Controlling people is not leading people. When people are controlled, they are roped and tied. They become debilitated. Control crushes independent thinking, creativity, innovation, and paths to new ways of working. Control protects the status quo and keeps people running in place.

 

It is this lack of realism that capsizes these captains and their ships.

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In this chapter, we examine the Captains of Ropes and Storms and their prominent mind knot - the Illusion of Control.

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“Being the leader means you hold the highest rank, either by earning it, good fortune or navigating internal politics. Leading, however, means that others willingly follow you—not because they have to, not because they are paid to, but because they want to.”

—Simon Sinek, Start With Why

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Navigating Illusion of Control Bias

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Know your Knots

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Do I generally believe I can control or change a situation or outcome, even in complex circumstances?

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When evaluating a situation, do I actively seek input from others, or do I rely solely on my own judgment and decisions?

 

Do I often use the terms “influence” and “control” interchangeably, failing to recognize that I can influence outcomes to some degree but not control them entirely?

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How often do I micromanage others because I believe that my control over every detail is essential for success?

 

When things don’t go well, do I stay in conscious command of my emotions?

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“Leaders become great not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others.”

—John C. Maxwell

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THE BOTTOM LINE

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When you can't beat them, you join them!

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The Strategy Equation:

Illusion of Control Bias + Framing Effect and collaboration = 

The Insistent Inspirer Model

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Transforms controlling captains into empowering leaders who inspire. 

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Learn how to harness the force of cognitive and emotional biases to work for you instead of against you.

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You'll find navigation techniques and strategies to manage the

Illusion of Control bias for the leader, and for the organization 

in Mind Knots

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Adapted from Mind Knots

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