"It Starts at the Top" is a Lie: Why Everyone Has the Power to Lead

Whenever I speak at organizations, people nod along excitedly about the frameworks and tools I share to help them perform better at work.

But just as I'm starting to feel myself... just as I'm about to pat myself on the back for a job well done… somebody, without fail, objects with something like "That's great, but won't work here." It almost feels like a cloud of despair comes over the room. People nod along as they list all the reasons things won't work. 

Industry regulations…

1400 emails in their inbox…

Challenging employees who "we can't afford to lose"… 

It "starts at the top"…

Mercury is rotating backwards (or something like that)…

I saw a similar pattern of learned helplessness in my health and fitness career. Clients would come in saying, "I've tried everything, and nothing works!" Coaches would claim there's "nothing I can do! They're not doing their part!"

On the one hand, I empathize with them. It's hard to perform at a high level when emails come in nonstop, distractions happen every hour, and we feel unnoticed, unsupported, and unappreciated by management.

And here I am adding fuel to the fire, painting a picture of someplace warm, someplace where the beer flows like wine (Dumb and Dumber fans? No?), reminding them of how little control they have over their work environment.

But on the other hand, this frame is a huge problem. 

Psychologists have a concept called "locus of control" – a term measuring how much somebody feels like their behavior matters, a sense of volition or control over their lives. There are two sides to locus of control: internal and external.

When people have an internal locus of control, they feel like their behavior matters ("My efforts can reap results"). Research shows that having an internal locus of control is associated with "academic success, higher self-motivation, social maturity, lower levels of stress and depression, and longer life span." (Problems and Perspectives in Management, 2012). In his book underrated book Smarter, Fast, Better, Charles Duhigg writes: "People with an internal locus of control tend to earn more money, have more friends, stay married longer, and report greater professional success and satisfaction."

On the other hand, having an external locus of control is the belief that life is primarily influenced by events outside our control. These are the folks who cut me off mid-back-pat during my workshops to fight for why the material won't work. And yep, we've got research on these people, too. An external locus of control is linked to higher stress levels, poor job performance, less job satisfaction (Sparr & Sonnentag, 2008), higher turnover, less engagement, and more dissatisfaction not just at work but with their at-home lives, too. Those poor spouses… 

A study from the 90s of 7,400 employees found that those who felt they had little control over deadlines imposed by other people had a 50% higher risk of coronary heart disease (Syme & Balfour, 1997). The researchers concluded that feeling a lack of control over things at work is as great a risk factor for heart disease as even high blood pressure. 

THAT. IS. WILD.

People are out here having heart attacks to argue for their limitations. 

The Three Step Process 

So, how can we begin to shift from an external locus of control to an internal one? Here’s the three-step process I walk people through in my workshops. 

1. Stop arguing for your limitations

“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.” ~ Henry David Thoreau   

“Arguing for your limitations” is a phrase I stole from my sister Jill (shoutout) because it beautifully encapsulates what we all do as humans. Our brains are the perfect machines for rationalizations, excuses, and defense mechanisms. My wife can attest that mine is a fine-tuned machine.

The problem is that before we can change, we must stop being the number one advocate for not changing. Harvard psychologist Shawn Achor often writes that the first step to change is believing that our behavior matters. 

If we believe that leadership/influence is reserved only for the people at the top or that you can’t do certain things because of this regulation or that limited resource, it shuts off the area of the brain that could be searching for new possibilities or opportunities. The belief that we have no power dramatically lowers our creativity, energy, engagement, happiness, and, ultimately, our ability to perform well. It’s that old adage, “Whether you believe you can or you can’t, you’re probably right.”

Now, something may not be your fault. You didn’t put those regulations in place. But the current situation is your responsibility. Meaning you have to play the hand you were dealt. Responsibility is our ability to respond. If your house burned down, you may not have started the fire, but you’re certainly the one who has to deal with the emotional turmoil and the insurance company. No matter the circumstance, we can always practice remaining calm during stressful times. We can be patient with our team and clients. We can empower our team to make decisions of their own.

Before we can do anything else, we must reframe the belief that we’re helpless. And only then can we start to influence.

2. Focus on your circle of influence

The late, great Stephen Covey had this model where he’d differentiate our Circle of Concern from our Circle of Influence. Imagine that your consciousness, your attention, is a large circle. This circle is filled with everything we care about and pay attention to — sports, health, family, the state of the world, politics, hormones in food, the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar beef, etc. 

This is our Circle of Concern, and it affects our emotions, decisions, beliefs, and general well-being. This is why content moderators for companies like Facebook and TikTok have such mental health struggles (https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57088382). Their Circle of Concern is filled with some of the darkest sides of humanity.

Now, imagine a smaller circle within that larger circle. This is your Circle of Influence. This circle is filled with things that we actually have the power to influence—things like watching less news, eating whole foods rich in nutrients, taking a walk, being kind to friends and family, voting, or not polishing off a six-pack while binge-watching reality television.

Covey’s big idea is that whichever circle you spend more time with grows. We magnify our engagement, creativity, and power by spending more of our time, energy, and attention on our Circle of Influence.

Over time, the inside Circle of Influence can balloon into our entire circle of consciousness, where the only things we pay attention to are those within our control. 

One of my favorite studies, by the great Ellen Langer, found that when nursing home residents were given a house plant to take care of, their happiness improved, and their mortality rate actually dropped in half (!).

Focusing on what we control enhances our internal locus of control and the benefits that come with it.

3. Start small, start now.

Finally, it's important to note that cultural change can start with a single positive node and turn it into a virtuous cycle. The Japanese have a concept called kaizen, which roughly translates to "continuous improvement." It's a focus on tiny, incremental changes over time that eventually compound into meaningful results. 

In the 1980s and 1990s, New York City officials faced a quickly rising crime rate. It was an overwhelming problem that consumed a lot of money and time. They tried all sorts of large-scale initiatives and solutions. Nothing worked.

Then, a small group of officials started focusing on one small improvement. They wanted to start small by improving the aesthetics of the subway, so they began fixing all of the windows and cleaning up the graffiti one car at a time.

The people of New York were incensed. Who cares about subway graffiti when there's murder at hand? But over time (spoiler alert), it worked. All subway crime was falling, from hopping over the railing without paying to armed robberies. Then, they moved their efforts to clean up the graffiti all around the city, and like dominos, crime fell citywide.

The point is small things make a big difference.

I'll never forget a good friend of mine who failed at getting in shape for a decade. Every six months or so, he'd announce that starting on Monday, he'd train five days per week, eat nothing but chicken and veggies, chug water, and sleep eight hours per night. Naturally, he failed.

Then, about a year ago, he focused all of his efforts on not drinking anymore. That's it. This one switch caused him to lose 25 pounds over the next year, feel great, and slowly adopt newer, healthier habits across the board.

Start small, start.

Be a Great Teacher

I'm at a point in my life where my wife and I are considering starting a family. So, when I'm teaching this stuff, my mind often flashes to our education system. 

I imagine my kids going through school and having teachers and administrators adopting the mindset so many of my leadership students face

"It starts at the top, so there's nothing I can do…

"I have too many papers to grade to be present with the kids.."

"I'm too overwhelmed and don't have the patience.."

"Those damn regulations.."

And it horrifies me. I don't want teachers thinking they can't make an impact because of the behavior of superintendents and principals. I'd want them to show up with energy and presence and deliver education in a creative way. Even better, I'd want the janitor, the cafeteria staff, and the administrators to be present and pay attention to the kids. I'd want them to show up with positivity and support and keep an eye out for bullying and poor behavior.

It helps put into context that we all have a role to play. Yet, in organizations I work with, people act as if they have no power at all. 

I'll wrap with a fascinating case study from Permanente Medical Group. They have a program called "I Saved a Life." The mission is to empower all hospital employees—even people without medical training, like administrators—to provide medical care. When they tracked the outcomes, they found that of the 1,179 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in their hospitals since the new program began, 40 percent had booked a mammogram at the suggestion of one of the nonmedical staff. 400+ women were screened based on encouragement from a nonmedical professional, and that screening ended up saving their lives.

We all have the power to lead from any seat. It may take a little rewiring to see where we can make a difference. But we can start small and start now. It certainly matters.