People invest themselves into what they sense control over.

Where there is not a sense of control, higher order thinking recedes. This ownership helps make stress more manageable. Micromanagement and lack of opportunity can stop people from investing. Ownership stimulates primary work motivators. Action orientation (vs. problem orientation) offers a sense of control.rR1


  1. David Rock, Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long, 1st ed (New York: Harper Business, 2009). (See notes.)