Control versus Influence, the problem with Corporations

Control

It’s leverage by force. If an individual is compelled to do work for you through an offering of capital, we normally take for granted that this is an opt in exchange. The reality of employment is far different, certainly in times of mass layoffs and shrinking businesses. If you don’t feel this sense of control than your corporate culture is a trail blazer and I commend it’s leadership!

A corporate entity controls it’s employees with salaries, bonuses, and benefits. Employees aren’t free to explore work that they have great interest and passion for. Something needs to get done, and employees are expected to execute.

It’s in your job description.

You signed the dotted line.

Your corporation isn’t yours, you belong to it. They own you.

Deviate too far from expected and ordered execution and you can expect to be demoted, layed off, fired, or pushed out.

Where does this structure leave room for enthusiasm and love? These are the two most important motivations humanity has, and all we come up with for corporations is greed and fear?

Influence

I choose who I want to tune into each day. I can read whoever’s blog or shared info stream I desire. The folks with the best ideas that shake up my limited view and invite discussion draw my respect and attention.

These great writers, information agents, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, marketers, and investors earn my interest. They influence me by repeatedly giving away their most inspirational questions, ideas, and knowledge freely. In return I add value to their work whenever I am able. I achieve this through heavy commenting, sharing my own views, and helping to elaborate on complex issues that are made clear by diverse views.

Imagine a world where influence is. greater than control

Without the leash of greed and fear, imagine our society empowered and driven by influence. Imagine the business structures that would energize our drifting economy.

Humanity wants to create, to grow, to evolve socially. It is time we embraced the power of influence over control. Our future freedom depends on the choices we make now.

Be Sociable, Share!

Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: , ,
  • http://www.rickdoes.net/ Rick Kierner

    I've lived in several different corporate cultures and never experienced the “Deviate too far from expected and ordered execution and you can expect to be demoted, layed off, fired, or pushed out.” feeling. Exactly the opposite. I've always felt that if you attempt to change things in a positive manner, you gain respect, promotion, and additional responsibility.

  • http://www.victusspiritus.com/ Mark Essel

    That's fantastic Rick. You have worked at some very progressive businesses then. I've been very lucky at the small tech company I've worked at (full time for 13 years, now part time for a year), but there are even moments where I feel pretty powerless to initiate change. The customers interests almost always trump my own when we're actively looking for work.

    Organizations that foster open and honest feedback, and direction shifts are placed perfectly to get maximum benefit from their employees passion, interests and enthusiasm. They're win win!

    I think if you speak to many of your friends, you'll find that not all their situations are as fortunate as yours.

  • http://arnoldwaldstein.com awaldstein

    Great post Mark

    My experience with larger companies is that they are usually self contradictory by nature. They want the start up spirit, the innovation that comes with freedom but there is a clash with culture or with bottom line.

    I've experienced this when doing M & A where the goal was to build new businesses but the corporate governance and culture made risk taking hard if not impossible as everything needed to squeezed within preexisting models and frameworks. Kind of a non starter by definition.

  • http://www.victusspiritus.com/ Mark Essel

    I've been wrestling with how big businesses can branch out. My idea so far is that they can't.

    If you want to have a long term focus of experimenting and branching out (risk), you'll want to keep your primary business core lean and mean. Then spin up startups where you venture/invest but let the new business lead run with it, and be willing to let spin offs die.

    Another option is to shop and purchase core groups/technologies that compliment your driving goals.

    Ideally I'd love to own a little piece of a handful of amazing companies that are focused/driven, over one big mega business. Corporate culture is difficult to scale, it is transmitted by enthusiastic folks who share a vision, not formal frameworks.

  • http://twitter.com/tylergillies Tyler Gillies

    Its epic you wrote this the same day I get fired. Good read :)

  • http://www.victusspiritus.com/ Mark Essel

    That's just life telling you it's time for a big shift.

    Will keep my eyes peeled for web programming based jobs. There's huge demand for someone with your
    skills and desire to create. The alternative is pitching like mad, and making a run at a social search company. Today's my last 10 hour day this week (I sneak a few hour walk in), so can switch gears mañana.

  • http://twitter.com/tylergillies Tyler Gillies

    Its epic you wrote this the same day I get fired. Good read :)

  • http://www.victusspiritus.com/ Mark Essel

    That's just life telling you it's time for a big shift.

    Will keep my eyes peeled for web programming based jobs. There's huge demand for someone with your
    skills and desire to create. The alternative is pitching like mad, and making a run at a social search company. Today's my last 10 hour day this week (I sneak a few hour walk in), so can switch gears mañana.