Are You a Control Monster? Take the Test!

By Clay S. Nelson - President, Consulting Services Network LLC

In all probability many of you reading this article are Control Monsters. From there you can be broken down into two groups: A) those who know they are and B) those who do not. Either way, most Control Monsters are oblivious to what it costs them, the specifics of which vary by individual. The basic costs, however, are the same.

The costs associated with being a Control Monster are: Less Time, Less Energy and Strained Relationships three biggies in anyones book, and the truth is that most Control Monsters do not even realize they are paying an often-hefty price. However, before you can really see what it is costing, you have to own up to your Control Monster way of being. Read the following questions:

Do you hesitate to delegate tasks or simply do not delegate at all for fear that the task will not be done your way, properly, on-time, etc.? Do you squeeze the time necessary to clean your house personally (when you truly don't have the time and money is not an issue), because no one can do it as well as you?
When assigned on a team project, do you take on the majority of the work yourself even when there are other fully qualified people on the team? In school when assigned on a group project, did you spend endless, sleepless nights pounding out the project by yourself (or maybe with a fellow Control Monster by your side) just to make sure it was done right (your way)?
Do you often spend a great deal of energy working to control or wishing you could control things/situations that simply are not controllable? When you fly, do you often wish you were the pilot cringing at the fact that you have no control over how the flight might go (except to not go at all)?
Are you uncomfortable when you are NOT in control? Do you sit in meetings being led by someone else (who is doing a perfectly okay job) and think about how you could do it better?

A "yes" to any one of these questions should raise a bright red flag; if you answered "yes" to all of these questions, sirens should be going off in your head!

So, with the "Uh, Oh!" setting in, what are you going to do about it the "it" being your control monster way of being? My recommendation to you is that you seriously look at why you have a need to control, where you apply it and what personal price you have paid in the past; how it affects you presently; and what the potential future costs will be unless you give it up.

The intention here is not to give you a reason to beat-up on yourself. Note: being a Control Monster does not make you a bad person. You do, however, need to wake up and realize the price you are paying in terms of time and relationships, health and happiness, and your professional success. So now that you have woken up, do you want the good news?

The good news is that you do have a choice in this matter. You can choose to own up to your control monster way of being, tear up your Control Monster Membership card, and allow (even ask) others to be a contribution to you, or not. The choice is yours to make. What do you choose?

Clay S. Nelson, the founder of Consulting Services Network LLC, and his team are committed to putting fun, family and financial freedom into everyones business and personallives. With over two decades of experience coaching business leaders in creating life balance, building teams, and writing plans, their programs are designed to alter the culturesof companies and families. They make a powerful and lasting difference with each person they meet, every group they speak with, and with every client they serve.