Bill was in a workplace the other day, and he watched as one of the managers talked sternly to her staff, pointed here and there, redistributed materials on display and shouted directions. He saw the reactions of her staff, the downcast eyes, the subtle shakes of head, the slumped shoulders and, yes, a few eye rolls.
Bill thought to himself, “I wonder how her kids feel, and I wonder if she knows.”
Tom Tozer and Bill BlackShe seemed a goodhearted, concerned person, someone focused on efficiency, but a person who was unaware of the impact her need for control was having on her staff.
We have both seen the results of control when students come to the university. Many have impressive grade point averages, high test scores and just the right number of accolades, awards, volunteer activities and leadership roles. But too many lack direction, the ability to make reasoned choices, empathy for the struggles of others or a sense of personal responsibility. Many of them need to phone home at the slightest challenge or question. They struggle in the independent higher education environment.
The consequences of control