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Finding "Felt Control"
People think of being in control as an action. The truth is being in control is really an emotional state that we take lots and lots of actions to create. Some of the actions taken to move toward the emotional state of being in control or "felt control" are effective and others actually make us feel more out of control. Some behaviors actually diminish "felt control" and create what I call "felt chaos". Both felt control and felt chaos spread through the workplace like the flu.
What can you do to cultivate a sense of "felt control" in yourself and in your work group?
STOP SPINNING IN THE OFFICE
With the current challenging economic climate, I see a lot of spinning of wheels and there is no bike involved. Spinning at the gym could actually be helpful but stop spinning in the office now. What does psychological spinning look like? It looks like a person quickly moving from one thing to another mentally and physically. There is little awareness and little concern whether the activity is actually accomplishing anything. Spinning of this kind creates "felt chaos" not "felt control".
MAINTAIN A THREE SCREEN REALITY
We think of the TV, the handheld, and the computer as three screens. How many screens do you make use of in your mind? Effective behavior in the workplace is dependent on maintaining a three screen reality. The first screen is task focus. The second screen is how other people are responding to you and the third and most neglected screen is what is going on inside you. Without attention to the third screen, you may be the last to know that you are putting off "felt chaos".
CHALLENGE YOURSELF INTELLECTUALLY
Read more. Think more. Stay away from people who are interpreting this challenging time in conventional ways. Expose yourself to multiple angles on the current economic situation. Ask good questions. Learn about something that you have always been interested in and never taken the time to explore. Make friends with smart people and stay away from people who say the same thing every day. Your brain is a tool that you can use to be effective in the midst of significant challenges. However, it can be used for good ("felt control") or evil ("felt chaos").
Go forth and cultivate a sense of "felt control" and fight "felt chaos" this holiday season. It will make all the difference in the world. Best wishes for a meaningful holiday season,
