{"id":7077979,"date":"2026-10-06T10:23:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T10:23:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7077979"},"modified":"2026-10-06T10:23:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T10:23:20","slug":"stuff-happens-where-you-look-matters-how-your-locus-of-control-affects-your-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7077979","title":{"rendered":"Stuff happens. Where you look matters. How your Locus of Control affects your success."},"content":{"rendered":"


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Stuff happens. Where you look matters.<\/h3>\n

You don\u2019t control everything that happens to you, but you have far more control over what happens next than you might imagine.<\/p>\n

My coaching and consulting endeavors put me in front of a wide variety of managers and executives, often when they are navigating significant challenges.<\/p>\n

In a recent management team situation around a misfired strategy, it was apparent that one part of the team was looking for ways to learn, adjust, and adapt, while a smaller, vocal group was fixated on uncovering the source(s) of the strategic misfire. If their intent had been to diagnose what went wrong, that\u2019s understandable. However, their focus was more on assigning blame. The search for blame derails any opportunity to learn, adapt, and, frankly, strengthen the team\u2019s ability to improve moving forward.<\/p>\n

In another situation, a first-time CEO adopted a leadership approach that led to increased turnover, reduced quality, and dramatically reduced employee engagement. In working with him, it was clear he blamed everyone but the person staring back at him in the mirror.<\/p>\n

These scenarios highlight the concept of locus of control, a concept introduced by psychologist Julian Rotter in his 1966 work (note 1). Locus of control describes our beliefs about whether the outcomes we experience are influenced by our own actions or by forces outside our control.<\/p>\n

Simply stated: your locus of control determines where you look first when something goes wrong.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Think about your own tendencies.<\/h3>\n

If something goes wrong, how do you respond? Do you look primarily outward at the external factors that created that outcome\u2026circumstances, other people, luck, management or others? Or, do you focus your attention on what you can influence moving forward?<\/p>\n

Someone with an external locus of control asks in response to a situation, \u201cWho caused this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Another individual with an internal locus of control asks, \u201cWhat can I do about this?<\/p>\n

A person with a strong internal locus of control expects their actions to influence outcomes. The individual with a strong external locus places bigger weight on forces outside their control.<\/p>\n

Quarterly sales forecast reviews and locus of control<\/h3>\n

For years, I led sales and marketing teams in tech. Part of the job involved forecasting and the always-fun post-month or quarter review of where sales numbers deviated from the forecasts. I typically heard two types of stories from reps describing a shortfall.<\/p>\n

One focused on things beyond their control. The customer delayed the project. Procurement changed the rules. Our competitor cut the price.<\/em><\/p>\n

The other focused on what they might have controlled. I didn\u2019t get to the economic buyer early enough. I didn\u2019t recognize procurement\u2019s power to negotiate. I saw the competitor coming and didn\u2019t block them out.<\/em><\/p>\n

Both salespeople may be describing exactly the same events. The difference is where they locate their opportunity to act.<\/p>\n

Stuff happens: it\u2019s how you respond that counts<\/h3>\n

Granted, stuff happens. You cannot control everything, no matter how much you believe you can. A healthy attitude is reflected in the statement(s): \u201cThis happened. I didn\u2019t cause it. I may not be able to change it. I still get to decide what I do next.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The research on locus of control and performance<\/h3>\n

Research gives us good reasons to take locus of control seriously. Studies have associated locus of control with important workplace outcomes, including job performance and job satisfaction. However, the research doesn\u2019t support the simplistic conclusion that a strong internal locus of control automatically produces superior performance. Locus of control is one of many individual and situational factors influencing workplace outcomes. (Note 2)<\/p>\n

The research doesn\u2019t permit me to say conclusively, \u201cInternal locus causes success\u201d; however, my experience gives me plenty of reasons to say, \u201cWhen stuff happens, I would rather have people looking for their next move, not their excuses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five practices to strengthen your internal locus of control<\/h3>\n

1. \u201cManage your controllables.\u201d<\/h4>\n

Differentiate the uncontrollable from the controllable.<\/p>\n

I use this approach with management teams. On a whiteboard, I create two columns. The first is labeled Can\u2019t Control, and the latter Can Influence. Note: This is particularly useful when a firm\u2019s target market is shapeable. The dichotomy helps us determine where to focus our energies.<\/p>\n

For individuals, I\u2019ve long lived by the mantra an early-career mentor taught me: \u201cManage your controllables.\u201d We can spend a lot of time lamenting what the world gave us, or we can try to do something about it.<\/p>\n

2. Change your first question.<\/h4>\n

Instead of asking yourself, \u201cWhy is this happening to me?\u201d use \u201cThis happened. What do I do next?\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Audit your language.<\/h4>\n

Tune in to your language for a few days. Does it sound like this?<\/p>\n