April 27, 2024
The Power of Perspective
One of the first personal development skills my coaches taught me as a newbie leader was the importance of perspective and the ability to look at an issue or a challenge from multiple points of view. Obviously, this is helpful when negotiating with another person, handling a team member’s complaint, or facilitating a meeting.
Perspective can also be a very useful tool when your partner comes away from a conversation with a completely different understanding of what was discussed and decided upon from yours.
If used well, this skill can make the difference between having a tense and heated discussion or engaging in a peaceful dialogue with a positive outcome.
We’ve all heard the old saying, “you can’t see the forest for the trees?” Well, that is all about perspective.
It’s easy to get hyper-focused on the details of a situation from a single point of view—yours. When you can’t see it holistically, you end up making decisions based on a fraction of the data available to you.
Then, you can become so absorbed in the minutiae of the moment that emotions begin to take hold of you. And not in a good way.
When things start to get emotional, it’s hard to remain detached from the discussion. Your emotions take over, and you become reactive, defensive, and inflexible in your opinions. You don’t listen actively to the other participants in the decision-making process.
And that can cost you big time down the road.
The definition of perspective is “the capacity to view things in terms of their true relations and relative importance” or “point of view.” When we view a situation from a single point of view, we often miss important information needed to make a good decision.
That limited decision-making process can result in a bad outcome—one you didn’t expect or see coming.
When you focus on a knot hole in a tree trunk, it’s harder to recognize that the single tree is just one of thousands in the forest, each with its own knot holes.
Let’s face it: the forest is much more interesting than a single tree’s knot hole.
Once you can elevate yourself to a higher perspective, it’s easier to appreciate the forest or a situation in its totality.
I like to think of perspective using a slightly different analogy—a dance floor. Since I love to dance, this viewpoint helps remind me to have a greater perspective on an issue.
On the dance floor, I fully focus on myself, my movements, the music, and the person dancing with me. It’s easy for me to get lost in the moment and the rhythm as I become absorbed with the music and engaged with the energy of the other dancers.
This concentration allows me to expand my awareness far beyond what is right in front of me.
My dance metaphor can be likened to when I am in a situation that requires a decision, and multiple people are present, each with a singular, focused point of view. In that setting, it’s easy to become emotionally attached to one’s own point of view.
In those moments, you may be unable to see how another person’s position might be better than yours or offer additional information that is crucial to making an informed decision.
That’s when I need to step off the dance floor, go to the balcony, take a step back, and gain a more holistic perspective.
It’s time to position myself to see the bigger picture.
I literally do that in my head, imagining myself above the dance floor, watching as an observer rather than an active participant in the middle of the tango. Then, I can take notice of the entire room, physically placing myself in a position that forces me to look at the bigger picture.
Take in more data. Listen more actively.
Notice the details I could not hear or see previously because of my limited viewpoint while on the dance floor.
The simple act of mentally changing my perspective gives me the space I need to help the team make a better, more informed decision while finding a common, shared understanding of the issue.
The next time you find yourself in a situation where emotions begin to take hold while people keep themselves fixed on their position, try moving from the dance floor to the balcony.
Get a better view of the big picture. Take the time to listen to other people’s viewpoints. Gather as many perspectives as possible to create a more holistic picture of the problem.
The outcome may surprise you. It will be richer and more comprehensive than you had initially envisioned.
That’s the power of perspective.
Let us know how this tip worked for you! To learn more about personal development, professional improvement tools, and support, visit our website at www.deleaninstitute.com.
Additional Resources and References:
Goddard, G., “Beyond The Obvious: How Perspective Taking And Strategic Coaching Questions Can Ignite Creative Breakthroughs,” Forbes, April 2, 2024, How Perspective Taking And Strategic Questions Can Cause Breakthroughs (forbes.com)
Johnson, G.W., “The Importance of Taking the Perspective of Others,” Psychology Today, June 5, 2019, The Importance of Taking the Perspective of Others | Psychology Today
Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Merriam-Webster: America’s Most Trusted Dictionary
