“What makes her think that her perspective is always correct? She needs to get out from behind her desk to gain some other perspectives.”
How many times have you had similar feelings? How often do you think others were saying this about you?
What can you do to open your aperture to see other’s point of view and gain perspective.
Our view of every situation is based on the seat we are sitting in. When you go to a stadium, concert, or theater where do you prefer to sit? What is causing you to make that choice?
You like the perspective.
What happens when you change seats? Your view of the performance changes. You see things differently. Maybe some things you never saw before.
Consideration
When faced with a dilemma or choice – deliberately change your seat and gain different perspectives. Consider using the Perspective Wheel as a tool. I will give you two contexts where you may use it to assist with a decision. The first, an individual challenge and the second organizational.
Individual Challenge
Pick a dilemma you are individually dealing with. Accepting an offer in a career transition, where to move, the selection of a candidate for a position, taking on a new line of business are a few examples.
Use the wheel below. In the center, state the challenge. In each of the “pizza slices” identify different perspectives.
Individual Example
Accept a Director position in a new company that require a move to a new city. Possible perspectives: spouse, children, parents, in-laws, finances, work/life balance, career progression.
Be rigorous in first, choosing and second, analyzing each perspective. Notice the different perspectives; some are people, some are contexts. In choosing different perspectives think broadly. Use at least 8. Know that you are coming to this decision with biases. Looking at only 2-3 perspectives will likely support your biases rather than challenge them. Why? Because you are not thinking broadly enough, you are likely staying close to your comfort zone.
Analyze each perspective. Consider what it feels like to be inside each perspective. What are the positives, negatives, emotions, and feelings?
Organizational Challenge
The Perspective Wheel can be useful in getting a team to understand the perspectives of stakeholders to build consensus and momentum. Let’s use the example of starting a new line of business.
Organizational Example
Start with the challenge in the middle and names individuals on the team in each slice. Externally add the stakeholders by randomly assigning them to a team member using cards. Have each team member develop and speak from the perspective of their assigned stakeholder. Speaking in the first person can have a powerful effect.
“My thoughts from the engineering perspective are the timeline and material are challenges …?
It forces team members to feel what that stakeholder might feel. It can be useful to execute this process a couple of times.
The essential question to be answered by the team is: How do these different perspectives affect our work and path forward?
Everyone’s perspective is their reality. Gaining more perspectives may remove biases, distortions, and blind spots for you.
What impact would it make on your operation if you had a greater appreciation for the perspectives of others?
