Co-funded by the
European Union
InnoBlog: Circle of Control during covid-19
If you are a graduating student like me, I am sure you have thought about the economic impact on your future internships and full-time opportunities. During my call with the EIT InnoEnergy Career Impact Programme Coach, I heard about the Circle of Influence concept, first proposed by Steven R. Covey in his book ‘The 7 habits of highly effective people’. In this concept he proposes how human beings have a lot of concerns on a day to day basis, but very few try to take control of these concerns.
The 3 circles
The 3 circles in Figure 1 (REF) are explained as follows:
- Circle of Concern: It encapsulates all our day to day concerns, ones that do not leave us any peace of mind.
- Circle of Influence: This circle captures the concerns that we do not have a direct control over, but we can indirectly influence them in some way.
- Circle of Control: This circle is where we have the utmost power. We change our behavior andattitude to directly take control of some of the concerns.
The status quo
The impact that the pandemic is having on our economy brings about concerns on an unprecedented scale. We have had an economic crises before, hence we know things will improve, but when, is the real question. Our brain needs certainty, and in times such as this, it can cause panic and confusion, which only increases the concerns, rather than help them. Therefore it is necessary that we don’t let our brain go on an overdrive and panic, but rather try to look at the exact concern and break it down to assess what we can influence and control.
The circle of control
In the covid-19 times, there are several situations that we cannot influence. However, the specific concerns I am talking about here are regarding the internships and full-time job search during the covid-19 pandemic. While it is difficult to find a job, try to focus on some of the things to make you the best candidate for the jobs that WILL be available after graduation.
Firstly, determine the kind of role you would want to do in a post pandemic industry. International Energy Agency executive director, Dr. Fatih Birol believes that the future of the energy sector can still be sustainable, provided the funds and technology are implemented appropriately (REF). New challenges bring along new job opportunities, so prepare yourself in terms of the kind of role you want to fit in. Based on this, you can determine the skills you will need to be an ideal candidate for the position, and start working on them.
Several schools, universities and online teaching platforms are providing free courses for students and young professionals to grow. Use these channels to improve your knowledge on the required skills you are trying to build.
Furthermore, now is an opportune time to research the companies and organisations you are most interested in, and read their developments, coronavirus updates and follow how the company is dealing with the pandemic. This can give you a good idea of which departments will be continuing to grow. Try to influence conversations via your own LinkedIn posts and articles, to show leadership during the pandemic.
It is very easy to feel desperate and desolate when we can’t plan out future as ideally as we would like to. But we are all in this together. Every difficult situation brings with it an opportunity to grow and influence others. So, let’s find our circle of control.
Stay positive!
