Giving up control to take control — repurposed

One of the most challenging attitudes to implement in any area of life is the ability to let go. This means letting go of the fear of losing control and allowing some chaos to happen when it is necessary. It is important to pay attention to prevent the chaos from becoming uncontrollable. This is a difficult balance to achieve, and many people avoid it to avoid dealing with the potential consequences of embracing the inherent uncertainty of life and letting go of resistance.

Ricardo Semler, CEO at Semco Partners and founder of The Lumiar School, speaks about this topic a lot, especially in the domain of leadership and how to run organizations. As he points out in a (similar) case study as this one:

“Moving an organization or business ahead means giving up control, and allowing employees to manage themselves. It means trusting workers implicitly, sharing power and information, encouraging dissent, and celebrating true democracy. Few things are harder for managers, executives, shareholders, and owners to embrace.”

— Ricardo Semler, 1989

The mindset of letting go requires inherent courage and a deep belief in one's abilities to handle whatever happens. This conviction holds great power when fully embraced. By believing that the game is infinite rather than finite (as described in James Carse's book Finite and Infinite Games), you can let go of the fear of losing your status and focus on helping others reach their potential. However, to successfully serve others, you must first tap into your own inner potential, which requires consistent effort, even when it's uncomfortable. Serving others is one of the Stoic principles for leading an examined life.