Do You Want Control or Influence in Your Business?

“POWER from you vs. POWER granted you”

Words are important symbols and they can add to or detract from this message. When I use the word power I am referring to its literal definition. Power is the ability to do or act, to inspire and sustain.

Control

CONTROL is personal power “coming from you” and projected outwards. Its agenda is the complete and successful direction or manipulation of people. It is leadership “DOING.” The underlying philosophy of this leadership style is that the “ends justify the means.” This is a stressful game of domination, of outmaneuvering intellectually and emotionally those under your perceived control. It focuses on changing people to be what you want them to be.

Influence

By stark contrast, INFLUENCE is a personal and unofficial power “coming to you” from others. It is a natural response to your character, ability and station in life. Your INFLUENCE may be exerted unconsciously or may operate through persuasion. This leadership style attracts respect, cooperation and inspires people. There is a volitional yielding to your opinions. It focuses on meeting people where they are and leading them to where you are. It is leadership “BEING.”

The difference

So what happens when a patient escapes your control? How can you handle the loss? You can’t. Yet if you come from the perspective that you never HAD them you can never lose them. Patients are never yours. It is simply your turn to lead them, your turn to serve them by helping them eliminate problems and obstacles to their sense of well being, your turn to inspire them to become everything they are destined to be.

Realize that you are exchanging your time and energy in order to create a business that works for you. And there is finiteness to both of these personal resources. Your anxious practice moments are an urgent message that, if ignored, seal your fate. What kind of a leader will you become? Make the decision right here right now to STOP DOING the things that don’t work like controlling and possessing people and START BEING the leader who influences people.

 Dr. Frank Sovinsky, “The E-Myth Chiropractor”, Written August 2005