The magic circle of influence

At one of my previous workplaces a series of company reorganisations took place, also affecting my area of work. It is not a unique phenomenon that the way a company is managed and structured is all set out from above, by the “the region”, from “outside”. Often these reorganisations fail to take into account the local priorities, the strengths and the nature of the team’s dynamics. That’s a typical characteristic of life at a multinational company – at least, that’s what I say now. However, at the time it made me anxious, I tried to withstand it, I complained and protested. I tried everything (did I?) to prevent it.

I was still having sessions with my coach, Gabi at the time, who – after she had heard me say “yes but” a thousand times – drew a circle on a sheet of paper. That was my first encounter with the Circle of Influence. The model is very simple: inside the circle I have everything that I may influence, that I can have an impact on in the given situation. Outside of it there are the things I cannot influence – those that may make me angry, against which I may protest, about which I may complain, but still, cannot influence. As I call it, this is the “get used to it or get away” area.

What did this model give me? First of all, with the help of it I managed to look at the thing I had fought against from several perspectives. I looked at the situation I was in, the things I could do, the things the change might bring about, the things I was worried about and the way I wanted to shape my future. By placing these ideas in the model I realised that there were so many things I could do to make my future as good as it can possibly be for me. I said goodbye to powerlessness. At the same time, the model also showed me why I felt that I had no say in the matters. That was because I was only paying attention to the issues and circumstances that were outside of my circle. So I let my energy and attention be taken away by those things that I could not influence at the time, instead of focusing on the things which I could have done for myself. This model completely changed my attitude, and if I feel that I am just running in circles but get nowhere, I always remind myself of the Circle of Influence.

Moreover, the last couple of years have made me recognise another principle in connection with the Circle: If I have done everything I can control inside my Circle of Influence, the Circle gets bigger, and new opportunities and tools will get inside. They surely do, because I transform my situation and environment step by step, and each new situation brings about new opportunities.