Are You in Charge or in Control?

Being “in charge” vs “in control”

Being “in charge” sounds powerful. Being “in control” feels peaceful. One pushes; the other guides. Leaders who make the shift—from managing by authority to managing by clarity—consistently build healthier cultures and better results. That’s the heart of our work at M360 Leader.

I’m Donald Fleming, President of M360 Leader. Alongside Pascal Dubois, seasoned executive coach, we help leaders align strategy, people, and daily habits using a practical ecosystem: the LPR program (Leadership, Productivity & Results), the M360+ app with its new Habit Tracker, M360meet (a real-time Meeting Cost Calculator), and M360 Compass—our performance platform for feedback, key responsibilities, competencies, conduct/values, and objectives. Together, these tools turn “be in charge” energy into the steady calm of “be in control.”

“Clarity creates freedom; accountability sustains it.”

Donald Fleming

Président, M360 Leader

Why this shift matters now

• Employee engagement is still fragile. Gallup’s 2024 research shows only 23% of employees are engaged globally—and low engagement costs about US$8.9T (≈9% of global GDP).
• Meetings aren’t helping enough. Microsoft’s Work Trend Index found only 35% of people believe they’d be missed in most meetings, and 64% say they lack the time and energy to do their job.
• Clarity still outperforms good intentions. Decades of goal-setting science show specific, challenging goals reliably drive higher performance than “do your best.”
• Self-awareness is rarer than we think. In a five-year research program, only 10–15% of people were actually self-aware even though 95% believed they were.

In charge vs. in control

A true story (names changed)

Nadia, HR Director of a 120-person manufacturing company, felt stuck. Her COO Étienne often said, “We’re busy, but I’m not sure we’re moving.” Engagement scores were flat, meetings ballooned, and quarterly priorities blurred mid-cycle. They didn’t need more pressure. They needed control—clear goals, shorter feedback loops, and simple rituals that actually fit the day-to-day.

The 4 steps

Step 1 — LPR: leadership first, then process

We began with a 6-week LPR sprint for the senior team: short learning bursts, coaching check-ins, and fieldwork tied to current priorities. The tone was human—less lecture, more conversation. We anchored one simple question each week: “What’s the one number that would make the biggest difference for our customers in the next 90 days?”

“Small, honest conversations—repeated weekly—change more than big annual rituals.”

Pascal Dubois

Executive Coach

Step 2 — M360 Compass: align and make progress visible

• Performance feedback: two-way notes captured in the flow of work.
• Roles & responsibilities: clarity on “who owns what”.
• Competencies & conduct: capability and culture measured side-by-side.
• Objectives: specific, time-bound, visible to those who deliver them.

Step 3 — M360+: habits that hold the change

The M360+ app’s new Habit Tracker translated each objective into 2–3 daily/weekly micro-habits—small, repeatable commitments that make progress inevitable.

Step 4 — M360meet: meetings that earn their keep

Every standing meeting displayed its live cost; fewer attendees, clearer agendas, and decisions captured in Compass.

Before / After (90 days)

• Recurring meetings: 17 → 9; durée moyenne 35 min.
• Un “North Metric” par équipe + 2 indicateurs prédictifs.
• 1:1 toutes les deux semaines dans Compass; micro-habits suivis dans M360+.
• On-time promise rate: 62% → 78%; idées d’amélioration x2.

“Measure what matters weekly; celebrate micro-wins. Progress is the fuel.”

Rana Tabrizi

Ops & Leadership Dev.