Control is an illusion....right?

This may sound strange coming from me, but it is so very important that you as business owner or manager are aware of the world we live in, and how this greatly effects the way you should handle your business. This is 2024!

In case you did not realize it: the idea that you can control everything in and around your business is an illusion.

There is much less certainty than you would like if you look at both the internal and external environment of your business in 2024.

In our current world, you should at least consider a more flexible business culture, where people have more autonomy to do the things they ′need′ to do to get the job done.

If you cannot control it, what should you do?

Managers who give people space to act will immediately -or step by step- create an environment where employees feel more useful and subservient.

New perspective

The illusion of control may be a pitfall in today′s business cultures.

Complete control over all business aspects is an illusion in a world where chance and uncertainty play significant roles. Realize that our world cannot be fully made and that business plans may fall through as soon as the market changes. Especially since Covid this is happening all around us.

Therefore, flexible business models are no longer a nice-to-have or something just for startups; it is essential for the survival of your business. So how can companies deal with this constant change?

Are you ready for a more flexible business culture?

There is a call for a more flexible business culture, where employees have more autonomy to act according to the needs of the moment. This not only enhances the effectiveness of individual employees but also fosters collaboration within the company.

This is not an easy task to attain since more traditional teams are often used to more strict ruling, set boundaries and more or less fixed performance indicators. Companies should find ways to stimulate, accomodate and guide this change both top-down and bottom-up.

GOALS or KPIs....? How to steer you business?

It is very important to steer towards set goals or a mission that go beyond mere financial goals, rather than solely focusing on measurable KPIs. While KPIs are certainly useful, they must of course align with the overall strategy and be applied with caution to ensure they do no deviate from the larger objectives.

Example: Think of a business goal that is not just about selling more products, but rather about promoting environmental sustainability through, for example, renewable energy solutions. This broader objective drives creativity and innovation, such as developing new solar panel technologies or implementing energy-efficient processes, which ultimately align with that business mission.

An organization must be flexible enough to respond to changes in the market and the environment. This requires building buffers and creating a culture of collaboration and improvisation. In the military it is shown that flexibility and teamwork are essential for achieving goals under changing circumstances. For companies this means factors such as customer satisfaction and task difficulty should be considered alongside purely efficiency metrics.

Build resilience in your business

The sole pursuit of maximum efficiency could be counterproductive in a world characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity. An excessive focus on efficiency could even lead to a lack of resilience of an organization, and possibly to suboptimal decisions for the business.

Therefore it is important to recognize fluctuations and build in resilience. This can be achieved by, for example, building in some redundancy and being more flexible in operational processes.

Developing a business culture that emphasizes collaboration and shared responsibility is thereby crucial.

Aim to avoid overly strict hierarchies and stimulate employees to look beyond the boundaries of their own job descriptions. Such a culture promotes agility and innovation within an organization, enabling it to better cope with unexpected challenges and changes.

Joris van der Heijden runs CONTROLLER FOR A DAY.

His business is improving your Business result with lasting Impact.

With two decades of extensive business experience in both Latin America and Europe, he provides business optimizations accross the entire organization. He utilizes proven methods and cutting-edge technological solutions for European businesses in Spain and The Netherlands.

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