Photo by Zoshua Colah on Unsplash
Dave lives in a second floor apartment and often sits on his balcony to take in the view. Though some might think the views from his balcony are nothing special, seeing as he’s only on the second floor, Dave thoroughly enjoys it. He sees nothing but unlimited beauty and potential from this balcony, and that joy and ambition are often seen in other areas of Dave’s life.
Art, too, lives in a second floor apartment. Unlike Dave, Art has nothing but contempt for his view. He tends to focus on everything that’s wrong instead of all the beauty. He often refers to his apartment as ‘the basement’, and this perspective seeps into every aspect of his life.
Perspective is described as a way of thinking about or understanding what happens around us. It is an incredibly powerful thing. Our perspectives can influence every aspect of our work and personal lives, and even have the power to determine our future. This is why it’s absolutely essential that we have the right perspective.
We can grow one of two opposing perspectives within us: the expanding perspective or the confining perspective. Like the balcony view, the expanding perspective allows you to see the unlimited possibilities around you. Those with an expanding perspective are able to look outside of themselves and recognize the positive potential of every opportunity, decision, and action.
The confining perspective, on the other hand, is shortsighted, often focused on self and the negative potential of an action. It confines itself to the immediate future. Those with a confining perspective fail to see the big picture or realize the opportunities around them.
Successful leaders must possess an expanding perspective. They must be capable of thinking outside themselves and focus on the needs of those around them. Leaders must look beyond themselves to acknowledge the skills and talents of their teams, envision what their teams are capable of, and actively respond to opportunities that tap on the potential of those strengths.
Leaders with confining perspectives will undoubtedly fail to meet the needs of their organization and fail to realize the full potential of their teams.
Now, consider the following:
What kind of perspective do you tend to harbor? Would you define it as an expanding or a confining perspective?
How does your current perspective influence your decisions and performance as a leader?
Does your current perspective tend to affect your personal life as well as your work life? If so, how? In what ways?
What are some ways you could practice an expanding perspective?
With these thoughts in mind, you can set an intention to be more mindful of the perspective you hold and expand your view of the people and possibilities around you.
Perspective is a powerful force. The right perspective can benefit every aspect of our lives. Which view will you choose: the balcony or the basement?
© 2023 The Growth Group, LLC - All rights reserved.