During our coaching sessions at Archetype, we’ve noticed that many people look for the reasons behind their successes and failures outside of themselves.
That’s why we believe it’s important, during our training sessions, to help people realise that they actually have more control over things than they think.
In the 1950s, American psychologist Julian Rotter introduced the concept of the “Locus of Control,” distinguishing between an “internal” and an “external” locus. People who favour an internal locus tend to see their own actions and behaviours as the main drivers of what happens to them, whereas those with an external locus tend to attribute outcomes to external forces. The principle of the Locus of Control plays a role in our everyday lives and at every level of an organisation. Salespeople, for example, often have very different opinions about what they can and cannot influence. A timeless anecdote illustrates this principle perfectly. Thirty years ago, a Belgian shoe manufacturer realised his local market was saturated. He sent two salespeople to the African continent to explore business opportunities. When the first salesperson returned, he said, “It’s hopeless. Everyone’s barefoot—there’s no commercial opportunity for us there.” But the second salesperson had a completely different take: “It’s fantastic! The opportunities are endless—everyone’s barefoot.”
How do we approach this?
Raising awareness
The first step is to help people become aware of their own perspectives. If, during a training session, I ask two salespeople what they believe they can and cannot control, their answers will often be worlds apart. Luc might say that 80% of his life is determined by external factors and only 20% by internal ones, whereas Jean might see things the other way around. I was once asked to support a salesperson in the industrial oil sector who was convinced that pricing always caused potential sales to fall through. When I accompanied him to a client visit and the client quickly brought up price, the salesperson immediately launched into negotiations. He didn’t even try to open a conversation about the product, the client’s needs, and so on. He didn’t fully grasp the role he played in the sales process. An outside perspective can help reveal blind spots and make certain behaviours more obvious.
Practice and ownership
After this awareness stage, people can start to develop their internal locus. They can first learn to focus on what is within their control. As the Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius once said: “You must have the courage to change what can be changed, the serenity to accept what cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference.” We are convinced that people are capable of much more than they believe—if they are willing to look inwards first: Have I done everything I could? How could I do things differently? Before trying to change others, we should question our own attitude toward them. This mindset can be cultivated through frequent practice, rituals like reminders, visualisation exercises, and more. Ultimately, it’s about embracing a new attitude, with a strong internal locus, until it becomes second nature.
During training sessions, we consistently encourage people to step back, pick the right battles, and take ownership. In line with our philosophy of valuing human capital within organisations, we believe that everyone is capable of more than they realise.
Marc Diamant
Archetype is always happy to exchange ideas on HR-related topics. The company specialises in optimising human capital in sales, marketing, and management. Through analysis, recruitment, and training, Archetype empowers both individuals and teams. Contact us at www.archetype-eu.com.
