January 25th, 2025As the new year approaches, let’s shift our focus from pointing fingers to understanding situations and ideating solutions. Whether in leadership, projects, or personal growth, it’s time to move beyond controlling outcomes and start enabling ecosystems.
Moving Beyond Control: Shifting Focus From People to Ideas
Some conversations stay with us long after they’re over. Recently, I was reflecting on a dialogue with an industry leader who distinguished between two leadership styles: driving results through control and fostering environments where others can thrive. This sparked a deeper thought—how often do we, as leaders or individuals, cling to control rather than enabling a system that outgrows our direct influence?
Dr Anurag Mishra, Prof. Surgery at Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi and Founder at Gurukool & Innovation in Global Surgery, shared an insightful framework during one of our conversations. He outlined how discussions often evolve through three levels:
People: The first level is reactionary—centred on individuals and their actions, motives, or faults. These conversations can often spiral into blame and negativity.
Events: At the next level, the focus shifts to analysing situations and their implications. It’s more objective but often stops at observation.
3. Ideas & Actions: The final level is where true transformation happens. It’s about ideating solutions and mobilizing efforts for meaningful change.
From Reaction to Resilience
Prof. Anurag brought this framework to life with a real example. Following a crisis at a medical institution, groups responded differently. While some speculated about the people involved, others dissected the events for root causes. The most impactful group, however, sought solutions. They collaborated across stakeholder groups—students, staff, and administration—to propose a practical action plan. This proactive approach not only gained institutional support but also led to real improvements.
Lessons From the Mangroves
This reminded me of Amaresh Sawant’s response to the 1999 Odisha cyclone. Instead of lamenting the devastation, he mobilized volunteers to plant 100,000 mangroves, creating a natural barrier against future storms. Two decades later, those mangroves minimized the impact of Cyclone Dana, standing as a testament to the power of ideas transformed into action.
What Can We Do With These Reflections?
As the new year approaches, let’s shift our focus from pointing fingers to understanding situations and ideating solutions. Whether in leadership, projects, or personal growth, it’s time to move beyond controlling outcomes and start enabling ecosystems.
What’s one way you’ll step into the “visualize and mobilize” mindset in 2025? Let’s start this shift together.