This week we're looking at the locus of control. The concept describes how much a person believes they are responsible for their own outcomes. How much impact does fate, luck, or other outside influences have on a person's experiences or circumstances (Joelson, 2017). The locus of control is described as being internal or external. A person with an internal locus of control believes they are responsible for their own outcomes. Conversely, a person with an external locus of control believes they are at the mercy of their own luck or the whims of others.
I took a 29 question test, Rotter's Locus of Control Scale (Rotter, 1966), that was designed to evaluate a person's locus of control. My score was 9. Relative to the number of questions, I would consider that to be a low score. A lower score indicates an internal locus of control. This aligns with my biased view of my outlook on life in general. For the most part, I believe I can work anything into existence. Whether it's looking for a new job, accomplishing a financial goal, or seeing a plan through to fruition, I believe my own efforts dictate the outcome. This isn't to say that I discount outside influences, but it does mean that I refuse allow those forces to completely determine my outcomes.
I view myself, and have frequently been described, as a "fixer." I can go into a situation, diagnose the problems, and implement solutions. It's a bit of a catch-22, but this jives well with my locus of control. Which came first: my locus of control or my leadership style? Because I believe that outcomes are self-determined, I view solutions as needing to be accomplished by the individual. When I lead, I expect my people to take responsibility for their actions and for the work they are assigned. I have little patience for people that throw their hands up and yield to some unseen force. I also don't tolerate people who do nothing but blame others for their circumstances or shortcomings. I do wonder what determines a person's locus of control, and how that knowledge may be used to more effectively lead.
Reference
Joelson, R. (2017). Locus of control: How do we determine our successes or failures? Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/moments-matter/201708/locus-control
Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological monographs: General and applied, 80(1), 1.
No comments:
Post a Comment