Locus of Control in 2020 – Year In Review #6

Locus of Control

In my previous post of the Year in Review 2020 Series, I spoke about the pitstop approach. I had also outlined a PITSTOP based action plan, while at work. To take the concept a step further let us focus on the importance of Locus of Control, especially during 2020 – The Year in Review and see how we can bring about a shift in our attitude and mindset.

Types of Locus of Control – Internal vs External

The locus of control defines a person’s orientation and thought process. If you believe that you are in control of your environment, you have an Internal Locus of Control. You believe that your actions have a significant influence on your destiny.

On the other hand, if you have an external locus of control, you will attribute outcomes to external factors. You would not have a deep seated belief system that your actions can fundamentally change your life path or your circumstances.

I am blessed to have interacted with a wide variety of people during the year. As I think back and ponder over my interactions with them, I realize that they had divergent views on their experiences during 2020. Some more contemplation about why, leads me to the conclusion that the Locus of Control plays a crucial role.

Role of Locus of Control in Tough Times

In tough times, it is very easy to slip towards the External Locus of Control on this continuum. Sometimes, the external forces seem so strong that such slippages happen at a sub-conscious level. We probably do not realize it or may not want to acknowledge it.

Interestingly, our minds may trick us into believing that this approach is actually beneficial to us. There is a sound rationale for that. Having an external locus of control helps us justify our failures as our fate. We find it very easy to attribute the same to external circumstances and thereby, avoid all responsibility.

How to Identify the Balance?

Here is a very simple trick to detect the balance of Locus of Control. But, we may be biased while judging ourselves. So, let us start with people around us. Identify any 5 people with whom you have spent significant time in the recent past. These could be people at work or home or in your social circle. The only condition is that you should have interacted recently with them.

Now, rate each of them on a 5 point scale based on ‘Locus of Control’, where 1 stands for completely External (those who believe that their actions have no significant bearing in changing their life). On the other extreme, 5 stands for totally Internal Locus of Control (those who believe that their actions play a significant role in changing their life). If you feel that you do not have enough information to rate them, you can pick someone you know better. Else, you can strike a related conversation with them to understand them better.

So, what do the scores look like?

Caution: Do NOT proceed further without completing this exercise!

I hope you have been true to yourself, you have completed the exercise and have your scores ready.

Now is the time to reveal a little secret.

You are the company you keep

This exercise was not about rating the Locus of Control of people around you. This exercise is actually about identifying factors that have the biggest bearing on your Locus of Control!

It is often said that we are the average of the five people we spend most of our time with. This applies to a wide variety of mental attributes. Needless to mention, this also applies to the Locus of Control.

We can get into a tangential spin here to understand how the anatomy of the brain facilitates the above. But, in short, our thinking is influenced by messages that we keep sending to our brain. Spending too much time with people having an external locus of control sends repeated stimuli to our brain. This causes a change in our attitude in the short run. If this process is repeated consistently over a long period of time, without being checked, it can even influence our belief system.

The Social Influence of the Pandemic

Let me also explain why this assumes special significance in the context of the year in review. During the pandemic, most of us have been confined indoors or have severely curtailed our travel. Though video conferencing, phone calls and social media have allowed us to remain in touch, our physical interaction with society has reduced considerably.

Would you agree that 2020 has seen you having meaningful interactions with fewer people, as compared to other years aka in the Old Normal? If you are statistically minded, you can create a Social Concentration Index. Divide the cumulative time spent with top 10 people by the total time spent with others. If the proportion is greater than 80%, then your Social Concentration Index is very high. There are high chances that the influence of these people on each other is quite high.

You can also visualize that your Social Concentration Index would have increased significantly in 2020.

With this background, let us get back to your Locus of Control scores that you assigned to 5 other people.

Back to the Rating

With the help of the Social Concentration Index, you probably realize that the impact of these scores on your own Locus of Control is higher than usual. But, we will not rely completely on your rating of people around you.

Instead, I will ask you to take a few moments and rate yourself on the same scale. You probably would have done that already, even without asking!

You vs YOUniverse (Your Universe)

So, how does your rating compare with the average rating of people around you?

Does your Locus of Control lie in the same range as the company you keep?

If not, then try and recollect how this disparity influences the conversations with these people. Have you been sub-consciously influencing the people around you or is it the other way around?

If the scores of the entire group are consistent and also on the lower end of the spectrum, you have your task cut out. In the short term, it may appear that this group of people is helping each other cope with the suffering. However, you might be accentuating the suffering by sub-consciously discouraging each other from taking action. Remember, action is the prescription to overcome your situation. Read more on how action can help you overcome confusion and inertia.

Your Locus of Control

Finally, let us look at your locus of control in isolation. There is a reason why I saved this till the end. It is easier to judge others ‘objectively’ than to judge ourselves. Our perceptions play a significant role in this judgement process and it applies to our self-image as well! Read more on how our perception can be used to our advantage to enhance our own sense of satisfaction.

Hopefully, this exercise gave you a better understanding of where your locus of control lies. You can also think more deeply about how your social interactions are influencing your attitude and how you are influencing others around you.

Finally, let us cull out some action items and lessons for 2021 and beyond.

Outlook for 2021 and beyond

Many of us are relieved to bid adieu to 2020. Each new year brings with it new hopes and aspirations. We all hope that 2021 will not be as tough for mankind as the past year. We may not have control over these macro factors that shape the destiny of the world around us.

However, if we manage to internalize our Locus of Control, we will certainly navigate these times better. Every adversity presents an opportunity. Each trough is followed by a peak. After every sunset, there is a sunrise. Whether you wait for your Sun to rise in 2021 and beyond or illuminate your life right now is completely in your hands!

Year in Review 2020

Check out the master article for the Year in Review 2020 that contains links to all the other posts in the series. Also, bookmark the master article on the browser to read more about each of the 20 thoughts from 2020 and lessons for 2021.

Editor’s Note:

This article dealing with self-discovery through introspection and awareness of one’s Locus of Control has made it to becoming a Featured Snippet on Google.

About The Author

Rajiv Maheshwari is a business and start-up advisor, and the co-founder of From The Experts Mouth. He is a management professional with over 25 years of experience, and worked as CEO for a decade, and in leadership roles with NYSE listed companies such as Accenture and WNS.

He is a Chartered Accountant and MBA (Director’s Merit List from IIM Bangalore) and an autodidact, who is on the path of self-directed life long learning and sharing. He is a thought leader, author and keynote speaker and has developed several frameworks to bridge the gap between academia and industry.