Michael McMaster wrote
> Rol, I think we need to maintain a distinction between human
> influence and human control.
>
> We have something to say about human systems but we do not have
> control. This is a way I've found that works for managers. It is
> not any use to say, "We can't do anything but observe."
>
> If this were true, then it still wouldn't help. I think,
> fortunately, that we have something to say but that doesn't take us
> all the way to control.
>
> If the systems - or the universe - is chaotice - then we don't have
> anything to say. If it is complex, adaptive and emergent, then we
> can have a great deal to say. But we don't have control.
>
> This either/or dichotomy is part of our problem. We speak as if it's
> either control or nothing.
There is a problem with what you say because there are those who have a
vested interest in promoting the word influence over control.
"Control" means to regulate or to direct something, to have authority over
it. It does not have any sense of extent. Certainly the driver of a car is
controlling the car, but only in a sense. There are many aspects which the
driver cannot control such as the top speed or the top rate of
acceleration or how long before the next failure. But those facts do not
diminish the fact that the driver is the only one who can choose to
"control" the car and if they choose not to we all know who is responsible
for the accident.
The same is true for managers of people. They do control to a great extent
the outcome of an assigned person's efforts and as Rol has so aptly
discussed, his methods are designed to achieve and do achieve specific
results. But the point is that control implies authority and that
determines responsibility and accountability. Many people who have
authority over others try to escape their responsibility for outcomes by
saying that they only "influence" the person's outcomes and therefore
should not be held accountable. This tact has been used effectively for
years as a safe harbor for irresponsible actions.
So the word "influence" has had a bad influence on those in authority when
applied to their relationship to their juniors.
Regards, Joan
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Joan Pomo The Finest Tools for Managing People
Simonton Associates Based on the book
jpomo@gate.net "How to Unleash the Power of People"
About the book go to http://pages.prodigy.com/DMHD39A (use caps)
--"jpomo@gate.net" <jpomo@gate.net>
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