"Do You Have Internal Locus of Control?" - Prof.M.S.Rao

Tim was laid off from research department due to recession. Most of the employees were panicked with the news of sudden lay off. Until then, a few individuals were boasting off within the research department by claiming that they had better career opportunities elsewhere. Suddenly these faces turned sorrow due to the closure. These individuals were planning to ask for a raise from the employer and they were blaming the research department for not paying handsome salaries.

Now the same people were on the run for employment as they could not digest the news. They requested the employer for outplacement in their affiliate institutions. The tone and tenor of these people subdued and there was no charm and overconfidence. These people began blaming the fate. Finally the organization was kind enough to accommodate few of them in affiliate institutions. However, Tim was cool and composed as he believed in his abilities and capabilities. He took it in his stride smilingly as he was a workaholic and who always believed in turning around the tide because he had high internal locus of control. He rose from ranks by the dint of hard work.

He applied for couple of jobs outside, short listed and joined in a better position than what he was in the research department. He never cursed his fate. In contrast, he pulled all the strings mentally and then physically and had his own way. How many people would be like Tim who could control the external forces and factors without blaming destiny?

The place where he worked went for downsizing and he was laid off again. However, he was unperturbed as he had undergone such trials and tribulations since childhood. This time, he changed his strategy and decided not to work in any organization but start freelancing in his passionate areas of teaching and training. Ultimately Tim donned the hat of a consultant because of his rich experience and expertise and began successful innings as an entrepreneur. What do you call the attitude of Tim? Was it his ability to turn around the external forces and factors to his convenient or inability to succumb to external pulls and pressures thus blaming destiny? Succinctly, Tim converted recession as an opportunity. He displayed high internal locus of control and reinvented himself.

Individuals with high internal locus of control know how to convert their weaknesses into strengths as they are pretty good at converting their external threats into opportunities. In this world, there are two categories of individuals – the individuals with internal locus of control and the individuals with external locus of control. Individuals are said to be having internal locus of control when they believe that their actions are guided by internal forces and factors. In contrast, individuals are said to be having external locus of control when they believe that their actions are guided by external forces and factors. It all depends on the individual’s mindset.

Individuals in their teenage dream and fantasize a lot and think of controlling the destiny. The same goes on as one ages up to some stage of life. However, as the individuals experience several encounters, the locus of control changes from internal to external as they think that external forces prevent them from reaching goals. As one gets older, the physical energy decreases as well. As a result, individuals become external gradually in locus of control. However, when we look at extraordinary individuals, we find them demonstrating internal locus of control throughout their lives as they strongly believe in themselves.

Individuals with internal locus of control rarely blame others for their failures. In contrast, individual with external locus of control often pin the blame on others for all their problems. When we look at leaders we find their ability to turn the tides in their favor and reaching their goals at any cost. High internal locus of control is one of the ingredients of effective leaders. To possess internal locus of control, follow the below nuggets:

• Convert your internal monologue to positive if it happens to be negative.
• Have firm faith in yourself. Never surrender yourself to fate.
• Be confident and optimistic that every dog has its day.
• Be cool, calm and composed during crisis.
• Consult others when you face uncertainty and complexity.
• Set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time) goals.
• Never give in, never give up.

Everything is possible in this world when you have a strong dream with high internal locus of control. Never blame destiny. Rather bend and blend to your end.


The End