Focus on What You Can Control: The Circle of Influence in Business

Send us Fan MailHow much time and energy are you spending on business problems you cannot control?Government decisions, economic conditions and unexpected disruption may affect your company significantly. But worrying, complaining and arguing about circumstances you cannot change does nothing to move the business forward.In this solo episode, Peter Boolkah uses Stephen Covey’s circles of concern and influence to explain where business owners should direct their attention during difficult periods.Your circle of concern contains everything that affects you but remains outside your control.Your circle of influence contains the decisions, actions and responses you can shape.Peter explains how gym owners responded when lockdown forced their physical premises to close. They could not overturn the government restrictions, but they could reconsider how they delivered training and begin working with customers online.Peter faced the same decision when international travel and in-person strategy sessions disappeared from his coaching business.You’ll discover:The difference between your circle of concern and circle of influenceWhy focusing on uncontrollable circumstances wastes energyHow frustration can prevent practical actionWhy your circle of influence can expandHow gym owners moved their services onlineHow Peter adapted when international travel stoppedWhy an imperfect alternative may still be valuableHow to redirect your attention towards productive decisionsWhy business resilience starts with focusing on your responseYou cannot control every event that affects your business.You can control where you invest your time, attention and energy and what you decide to do next.This episode was recorded during the first COVID-19 lockdown in May 2020. The lockdown provides the example, but the underlying framework applies to any period of business uncertainty or disruption.CONNECT WITH PETER BOOLKAHWebsite: https://www.boolkah.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boolkahInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/pboolkah/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoolkahX: https://twitter.com/boolkahABOUT PETER BOOLKAHPeter Boolkah is a business coach, author and speaker who has spent more than 20 years helping business owners build stronger, more valuable businesses that do not depend on them for everything.He is the creator of The Hamster Wheel Trap® and author of Your Business Sucks: Build a Business That Works Without Destroying Your Life.Peter works with founders and leadership teams on the issues that ultimately determine whether a business creates freedom or becomes another job: leadership, founder dependency, people, profit, execution, scaling, exit readiness and enterprise value.His approach is direct, practical and built around one simple question:Do you own the business, or does the business own you?Learn more at https://www.boolkah.com