Locus of Control
Learning Objective
To further explore decision fatigue and introduce the Locus of Control model as a way to focus energy effectively to decrease cognitive load and improve decision making.
Decision Fatigue
In the outdoor leadership context, decision-making is constant, and this can lead to decision fatigue—a phenomenon where the quality of decisions deteriorates due to the exhaustion of cognitive resources. Decision fatigue arises from the energy expenditure involved in making choices, resulting in an increased likelihood of weak, risky decisions based on incomplete information or impulsive thinking.
As we explore in the section on Developing Risk Awareness, System 2 (rational/logical) thinking requires more conscious effort and energy expenditure than System 1 thinking. To enhance our capacity for crucial decisions, it is essential to reduce mental load and streamline decision points.
Throughout the day, outdoor leaders navigate various inputs about the environment, group dynamics, and technical skill execution, etc. These require simultaneous attentional focus, constant evaluation, and decision making. Planning for and having a strategy to keep our brains online by decreasing the number of decisions we make each day, especially during high intensity moments, is an important risk management strategy.
Recognizing decision fatigue as a genuine threat to our overall ability to make sound decisions and use good judgment, it becomes crucial to identify factors under our control. The Locus of Control Grid below can be used as a Stress Injury Mitigation tool and help us expend less energy while making more effective decisions. Understanding that stress reduction, effective decision-making, and risk management are interconnected, this tool becomes instrumental in fostering resilience and promoting optimal decision-making capabilities in outdoor leadership.
Understanding Your Locus of Control
Visualizing the locus of control can be likened to playing “Flinch Ball” with a group of friends. Picture yourself standing in a circle, passing a ball around the group. In this game, if the ball is passed to you, and you drop it or flinch as it reaches you, you are considered “out.” The element of surprise comes into play, whether by passing the ball unexpectedly to someone who is not prepared or by faking a pass, making it a strategic and dynamic game. The objective is to be the last one remaining in the game by maintaining control and composure amid unexpected challenges. This analogy serves as a vivid representation of the locus of control and its role in navigating uncertainties effectively.
Visualize: Flinch Ball!
Thinking about this activity, reflect on the following prompts:
What don’t you have control over?
- Who someone else passes to or how they pass it
- The rules of the game
- What do you have control over?
- Who you pass to
- How you participate in the game
- If you decide to participate at all
- Do you have control over flinching or catching?
- This is a grey area, and can be different for each person – you may have played sports growing up and have good hand-eye coordination. Or you may have poor hand-eye coordination, a disability, or be unpracticed at catching balls, therefore less good at catching.
- Strategies to increase control could be to practice your catching skills, or adapt the game or your strategy to improve your chances of catching the ball.
- You can also practice mindfulness skills to help slow your reactions – this can help you pause and notice the urge to turn away or flinch, and help focus your attention on the task of catching.
Emotions and Locus of Control
The degree of control we have over our emotions can vary from person to person and situation to situation. Emotions often arise in response to internal or external stimuli, and while immediate emotional reactions may feel automatic, there are techniques and strategies that can help individuals have more influence over their emotional responses.
The STOP technique is one such method that can aid in gaining control over in-the-moment emotional reactions:
|
|
Stop. Whatever you’re doing, just pause momentarily. |
|
|
Take a breath. Re-connect with your breath. The breath is an anchor to the present moment. Engage in deep, intentional breathing to create a brief pause and promote a sense of calm. |
|
|
Observe. Notice what is happening. Assess and observe your thoughts, feelings, and the situation at hand. What triggered the emotional response? What are the underlying factors? |
|
|
Proceed. Based on your observations, choose a thoughtful and measured course of action rather than reacting impulsively. |
Actions can be habitual but we can work to have more control over our actions and responses. This practice can contribute to neuroplasticity or psychological flexibility, allowing individuals to approach situations with less bias and pre-judgment.
Consider different aspect of your life where you have different levels of control. Recognize any areas where you feel a sense of more or less agency (control or influence over your own thoughts and behaviour).
Understanding what is within your locus of control and and working to expand it where possible can significantly enhance the capacity to manage risks. By focusing energy on areas where you have influence and control, individuals can optimize decision-making, both in the moment and over time. This proactive approach not only reduces decision fatigue but also fosters a mindset that is better equipped to handle challenges and uncertainties.
Practical Tools for Outdoor Leaders to Decrease Decision Fatigue
Apart from gaining awareness and consciously inhabiting the “Mastery” or “Letting Go” quadrants of the Locus of Control grid, here are some specific practices that will help you reduce decision fatigue in the outdoors. All of these are practices that should be within your Locus of Control.
- Recon: Take a trip in similar circumstances before leading a group to gain firsthand experience and insights.
- Checklists: Utilize cognitive aids such as checklists to reduce the cognitive load and improve decision-making before, during, and after a trip or experience.
- Prioritize Self-Care: Develop a plan for meeting personal needs (nutrition, water, rest, breaks, etc.) ahead of time to ensure well-being during outdoor activities.
- Proactive Stress Mitigation: Square away personal tasks and logistics before departure to minimize stressors during the experience.
- Expand Zone of Resilience: Engage in training and gain experience beyond the level at which you are leading, including Stress Inoculation Training, in a safe and controlled environment.
- Pre-planning: Plan routes in advance, identify hazards, calculate distances and times, set compass bearings, plan campsites, and include contingency and emergency plans.
- Vigilance & Ongoing Situational Awareness: Stay alert and aware of surroundings to prevent being caught off-guard by unexpected events.
- Equipment: Ensure all personal, leader, and group equipment is in good condition and ready to use. Organize and practice with safety and rescue gear.
- Sleep Management: Prioritize good sleep as a foundation for optimal cognitive function and decision-making.
- Locus of Control: Recognize and let go of things beyond your control, focusing on factors within your sphere of influence.
- Flexibility Focused Queries: Use “what if” scenarios during non-stressful days to enhance adaptability and flexibility in decision-making. We will explore Flexibility Focused Queries more in a later chapter.
Group Preparation
- Get to know your group – assess the experience, comfort and ability level of the group. Read medical forms and self assessments beforehand if you have them. If time, hold individual or group check ins at the beginning of the program.
- Participant training – teach and practice skills (technical, interpersonal, rescue) before heading out, or before key activities. Use a progression, or scaffolded approach to teach skills – building in complexity as they go.
- Shared situational awareness – discuss route plan and hazards with the group, so they share the knowledge and cognitive load when appropriate.
- Group Agreements – discuss and align on group and individual goals
- Define the Container – clearly outline the program goals and limitations
- Interpersonal Preparation – provide coaching on communication, group decision making and conflict resolution strategies to proactively mitigate interpersonal issues
Checkpoint: Locus of Control
Activity: Flinch-Ball!
Stand in a circle. Have a ball.
The goal of the game is to be the last one out. Everyone who doesn’t have the ball stands still.
The person with the ball passes it (or can fake pass) to someone else. You are OUT if you drop the ball or flinch (even with a fake pass).
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.”
— Viktor Frankl
