1 min readIrrational Control

by Guy Gage | October 13, 2010 | Uncategorized

Irrational Control

Your career is all about transition. It’s the nature of professional service. You’re either preparing for a new role, living into a new role or preparing to fill a role you are vacating. Yet how easy it is to resist making the necessary changes as you progress in your career.  You continue to do what you’ve always done instead of letting go of what you used to do and pursuing what you should be doing.

I’ve heard so many professionals explain their resistance to change as being noble because they are doing it for the good of the firm (efficiency) or the good of the client (done right). But it’s really all about irrational control. They can’t or won’t let go of what they have become comfortable with.

It’s the reason so many managers work as if they were younger staff. It’s why too many partners function as managers. It’s why too many retiring partners are still working as if they had another 15 years in their careers.

There are three problems you create by your irrational control.

First, when you’re doing something that someone your junior can do, you aren’t free to concentrate on what you should be doing. Since you can’t do two things as once, you are choosing the lesser value option.

Second, every hour you spend doing something that someone your junior should be doing, you are essentially robbing them of valuable experience they need to progress in their career. For you, it’s more of the same; for them, it’s career-building.

Third, you stunt your own growth. If you don’t have time to focus on the cutting edge experiences you need, you remain the same. Repeating the fifth grade year after year won’t make you any smarter. You have to accept that it’s time to enter the next level by letting go of your mastery of what you’re doing now.

Have the discipline to let go and delegate. Have the patience raise others up. Have the courage to enter into your next level.

 “Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times.”

— Niccolo Machiavelli

Sign up to receive a weekly message like this every Monday morning at www.PartnersCoach.com

Read Related Blogs:

The Complete Manager

The Complete Manager

Manager Today Being a manager today is a difficult task. With all the craziness around remote work, it has only intensified and makes it more difficult to be effective and successful. Here are two observations. First, we use the label loosely. “Manager” as a title is...

read more
Don’t Forget To Manage Your Sleep

Don’t Forget To Manage Your Sleep

Celebrate Sleep Awareness You may not be aware that this week is National Sleep Awareness Week. Since 1998, the celebration begins with Daylight Savings Time (March 14 this year). It recognizes the impact of sleep (or lack of) on our mood and performance. And there is...

read more
You May Be At Risk

You May Be At Risk

As a knowledge worker, your primary asset is your ability to think, reason and solve complex problems for your clients. Your mental capabilities are critical to perform at such a high level. And that’s why I’m very concerned that you may be at risk. Let me explain....

read more
Share This

Share This Article!

Who do you know that needs to read this? Send Now!