Are you clear about your business vision, direction and goals? Is fear, second-guessing and over analysis holding you back from taking action in your business? Dr Vesna Grubacevic explains how to regain control of your business.

While there are many possible risks in business, the biggest risk to your business success is you! Your lack of:

• clear vision, direction and goals;
• effective people, communication, leadership and delegation skills;
• trust and follow through on your decisions and commitments;
• self-belief and persistence in the face of challenges;
• effective self-promotion, relationship building and networking skills;
• consistency in having and following systems and processes for business success;
• control over your emotions – instead, you overreact with anger, fear, hurt, guilt, resentment and betrayal;
• consistent focus on what you want – instead, you are being overly anxious and worried; and
• effective business habits – instead, you have bad habits, such as procrastination and being disorganised.

From my over 35 years of business experience, I have noticed a consistent theme.  Despite a business having the best systems, best practice processes, latest gadgets, office set-up and so forth, there is one thing critical to ensuring that these are used effectively for business success – their people.

The more effective people’s behaviour is in using all the resources in the business, the more successful the business. You and your people are your business. Therefore, you need to have trust and solid business relationships with your employees, clients, colleagues, partners and third-party providers.

What are you controlling?

If you are feeling out of control in business, think about whom or what are you seeking to control? Some people who feel out of control themselves, subconsciously seek to control other people. They do this by playing a victim, getting angry, bullying, creating dramas, and buying gifts. They subconsciously create a dynamic where they are in control in that professional relationship.

Other people who feel out of control, subconsciously seek to control things and their environment. For example, not delegating effectively, withholding information, not communicating, and even overeating and drinking too much.

At the end of the day, these people are ultimately not in control of themselves. That is the real issue. Until that is addressed, they will keep creating the same dynamics with people, things and their business and personal environment.

Control vs influence

You are personally responsible for four things: how you think; how you feel; how you act; and how you influence others.

Other people are also responsible for four things: how they think; how they feel; how they act; and how they influence you and others.

When you start to focus on how you can control what others say, think and do, you are focusing on what is beyond your control. Because this is beyond your control and if you seek to control it, you may feel frustrated or angry about the situation. For example, sitting in bumper to bumper traffic and being unable to control the traffic. Or being frustrated by your colleague’s behaviour and being unable to change it.

Instead, focus on what you can control – changing your thoughts, feelings, actions and communication with other people. How could you take more charge of how you think, feel and act, so that you are happier and more fulfilled in business? How can you improve your communication and avoid misunderstandings and conflict?

Regaining control

The first thing to realise is that people who trust themselves, trust others, and that flows into business and life. Therefore, they find no need to control other people and situations.

It’s only people who have trust issues that feel the need to control others and situations. These people need to learn to trust themselves first in order to trust others. Trusting yourself is the key to business success, and all highly successful business people trust themselves.

Focus on you and taking charge of how you think, feel and act, so you regain control of your behaviour and your business. Address your emotional overreactions (like anger and frustration), taking things too personally and focusing too much on things beyond your control.

It is important to address these. By doing so, you will be able to fully trust yourself and your decisions, which will stop you from sabotaging your business success. Also, by learning more effective communication and leadership skills, you will be better placed to inspire, motivate and empower others to perform at their best. Then you’ll be able to watch your and your team’s performance, and business, thrive!