Control and the Space for the Unknown

**Summary**

This blog explores how our drive for control can sometimes stand in the way of creativity, growth, and collaboration. How can we make space for the unknown while still maintaining a sense of grounding?

We live in a world in which control is often seen as a sign of strength and competence. Planning, measuring, managing—it gives us a sense of safety. And in many cases, this need for structure is functional: without planning there is no coordination, without agreements there is no collaboration. But control also has its limits. The tighter we try to fix everything in place, the less room remains for surprise, inspiration, and renewal. What is meant to provide certainty can thus lead to rigidity.

The unknown can be unsettling. It confronts us with questions we do not have answers to, with situations in which outcomes are unpredictable. Our first reflex is often to fill that gap as quickly as possible with a plan, a rule, or a decision. Yet it is precisely in that unfilled space that the possibility for something new lies: in the space where there is no clearly defined plan, ideas can mature, people can surprise one another, and collaboration can deepen.

That space requires courage. It asks us to temporarily set aside our need for immediate control so that something can emerge that is greater than our individual vision. It also asks us to accept that not all risks can be eliminated and that not every step can be foreseen in advance.

Letting go does not mean abandoning all structure. It means building trust—in ourselves, in others, in the process. It means creating frameworks that provide direction but are flexible enough to adapt to what arises. It means being willing to take risks, even when the outcome is still uncertain, and seeing mistakes as part of the learning process rather than as proof of failure.

Leadership in this context requires balancing between providing direction and allowing space. Knowing when intervention is necessary to stay on course, and when it is better to do nothing for a moment and let the process unfold. This calls for observing rather than immediately acting, asking questions instead of giving answers, and granting trust instead of exerting control.

There are situations in which this balance is crucial. Consider a team working on an innovative project: too much control stifles creativity, too little direction can lead to chaos. A leader who masters this balance creates a foundation in which the unknown does not feel threatening, but is experienced as a source of possibility. The unknown then becomes not something to avoid, but something to be curious about.

Embracing the unknown also means rethinking our relationship with uncertainty. Uncertainty is not only a risk, but also an opportunity. It can compel us to seek new perspectives, to connect with others, and to develop ourselves. Those who can tolerate the unknown open the door to renewal.

Perhaps that is the essence: control and letting go are not opposites, but complements. The art lies in consciously employing both, so that we stand firmly in what we know while remaining open to what we do not yet know.

*Rene de Baaij*