Hardiness

CHAPTER 7Getting Yourself More in Control

“Control your own destiny or someone else will.”

—Jack Welch (American business executive, former chairman and CEO, General Electric)

Hardiness-control is the belief that you can control or influence what is happening around you as well as what is going to happen. The opposite of control is a sense of powerlessness or helplessness to do anything that will make a difference. With this in mind, this chapter offers some steps you can apply to increase your sense of control.

Focus Your Time and Energy on Things You Can Control or Influence

Jeanine loved her job. She worked in the marketing department of a large agency. It was her dream job. She got to use all her skills and training. The work she did was challenging, and she enjoyed the clients on the accounts she worked on. She even got along well with her boss.

However, there was one troubling aspect at her workplace. That was one of her coworkers. The two of them were very different and didn’t see eye to eye on many issues—both at work and outside of work. Jeanine was younger and just hitting her stride professionally. Anne had been at the agency much longer and was somewhat jaded. She wasn’t happy at work or with her personal life. It wasn’t something she managed to hide. Jeanine found her complaining tiresome and distracting from her work. She tried to avoid Anne, but it was difficult in a small office space.

Jeanine had tried to get further away from Anne, but as her manager ...