spheres of influence
In Stephen Covey’s seminal book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, he describes concentric circles of control, influence, and concern. I regularly use this model as a teaching tool at the beginning of my workshops to remind people that while it is easy to point fingers at issues and lament the problem’s systemic nature, we will never make progress if we remain mired in a position of hopelessness and inaction. Teaching a different perspective empowers participants and shifts them from awareness to action.
Circles of Control, Influence, and Concern
The inner circle is what we have control over, and outside of what we can control, there is much that we can influence. For example, we control our emotions, reactions, words, and behaviors. Depending on our role and work, we may control or influence policies, agendas, curriculum, projects, culture, hiring, and other people.
Outside of that is the circle of concern. These are the things that we care about but cannot control or influence in any way. It doesn’t make them any less important, but if we can’t make a difference in those areas, we needn’t spin our wheels or burn our energy focused on them.
As we move through our lives and careers, these circles can expand and shrink, but the takeaway remains the same. We progress when we focus on what we can control and influence rather than what we cannot.
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