Proactive people focus their efforts on their Circle of Influence. The Circles of Concern and Influence offers a powerful mental model because it captures in a simple diagram a truth that Stoic philosophers wrote about thousands of years ago and cognitive psychologists have tested in labs and clinics for the past few decades. This will enlarge your circle of influence, and reduce the space you give to all those concerns you can do nothing about. These are issues you can just get on and manage. On the contrary, as we are proactive and move into action, the area of concern diminishes. They then place them on a big piece of paper, where I have drawn out the circles of control , influence, concern. Stephen Covey’s circle of concern and circle of influence In his book the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989) Covey distinguishes between proactive people – who focus on what they can do and can influence – and reactive people who focus their energy on things beyond their control. The yolk is contained within the larger circle of the egg white is our circle of concern: all the things we care about but are beyond our control: the weather, wars and terrorism, the political views of others, what people think of us. They work on the things they can do something about: health, children, problems at work. Covey and others have referred to the circle of control as the “circle of influence”. They work on the things they can do something about: health, children, or problems at work. This is empowering, and can lead to the growth of your circle of influence. As big as you can. Covey’s simple assertion is that whichever part of the circle we spend time in will grow. The problems, challenges, and opportunities we face fall into two areas–Circle of Concern and Circle of Influence. The first relates to the certainty of death; a certainty we will have to address at some stage in our life. Focusing on your Circle of Influence increases your Circle of Influence. 2. Inside it are all the things you are bothered about. Focus on what you can influence. That is, create a plan and take action. magnifying, causing their Circle of Influence to increase. The Circle of Influence, or the center circle in the diagram represents all the things in our lives, both personally and professionally that we have absolute control over. This is the Circle of Concern. In contrast, the outer circle is the circle of concern. 3. The second relates to the uncertainty of everything else in the future. In fact, your circle of influence falls directly inside your circle of concern. Look at Figure 1. Outside, stuff goes on, but you don’t care about it. The presenter draws a Circle of Influence within a Circle of Concern on a second flipchart. Technique of the area of concern postponed. In the middle of his chapter on his first habit ("Be Proactive"), Dr. Stephen R. Covey, in his famous Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, lays out two circles: the outer circle being your circle of concern, the inner circle representing your circle of influence. Being proactive is more than just taking action. influence or concern – just work on identifying all your critical issues. According to Ms. Taylor, in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey gets us off to a good start by identifying the circles of concern and the circle of influence. The smallest circle in the center represents things over which you have total control. The presenter and the group can then transfer the issues raised into either the Circle of Concern or into the Circle of Influence. As they do this, they increase their circle of influence. Concern Something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness. Increases your circle of Influence Exercise ( 30 mins ) Draw a circle! 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