People say “control is an illusion” all the time. I don’t think many people actually believe it. Most people see control as people forcing them to do things. Things outside of their own sphere of influence. Things they can not … control.
Realizing that control is an illusion will help you control people. In other words, knowing you can’t force people to do what you want will help you get people to do what you want. I know it sounds like I’m just rambling on about some kind of mind game, but there is something to it. It’s all protocol and social skills that allow people to get what they want. Don’t confuse this with telling lies or deceiving people, that’s not required at all. Often, being direct and open about your intentions and how it can work out to others advantage is more than enough to get someone to do things they might not do on their own. Many people, like myself, are good at spotting lies and seeing through people. I know that trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes will often backfire and end up with someone actively trying to NOT do what you think is right. Getting someone to hand over their trust and accomplish a larger goal is work and I think it’s one of the most powerful aspects of modern society.
When you have a large group of people who want to accomplish the same overall goal, there are bound to be different ideas and opinions about how to reach that goal. If the goal requires a unified strategy, there will most likely need to be a single person who is making decisions about which strategy to use. As the goal becomes more complex and requires more unity, the benefits of a single person in control grows. At a certain point, it is more efficient to follow a single leader with an occasional poor plan than to never follow a single plan as people fight and argue over what to do. It can be really hard for people to accept this concept.