The Big Picture is Made up of a Thousand Little Things

When you use the word transformation in the context of business, people get a little uncomfortable. Change is challenging enough, but transformation represents a substantial and fundamental overhaul. Change of that magnitude can be intimidating.

Transformation, in order to remain successful in the digital economy, is a reality for many companies. I talked a lot about working through change in my last blog post because it is something so many companies are facing. That’s not what this blog post is about. This post is about avoiding ‘transformation overwhelm’ by cultivating focus.

Transformation is complicated. But rather than focus on how big and complex it is, focus instead on doing all the little things right. Break down the complicated into a thousand little things, and then become an execution machine.

A Lesson in Focus from Salvador Dali

In St. Petersburg, Florida, there’s this fascinating painting by Salvador Dali. When you look at the picture from mid-range, it's a woman, Gala, looking out a window at water and a sunrise. When you get up close, you see that there are smaller paintings within it – a tiny portrait of Abraham Lincoln, a smaller version of Gala, colored squares, and a vibrant sky with the crucifixion scene hidden in it.

When you stand 60 feet away from the artwork and squint, the painting transforms and the face of Abraham Lincoln takes shape. It’s mind-blowing, especially when you think that this was hand-painted, not generated by a computer program.

Here’s my point: When Dali was painting Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea, he had a clear plan of how the big picture was going to look. But he had to paint all the little things perfectly to make the bigger picture come to life. He broke down an intricate painting, and focused on the little pieces. He painted with not only his focus in mind but also that of his audience.

Great Leaders Focus Their Attention and Their Team

There was a terrific article in Harvard Business Review about focused leadership. It stated that the "primary task of leadership is to direct attention." To me, this rang true. And, depending on the leader, that focus can be directed toward a positive or a negative end.

I'm a positive guy, so I tend to lead with a focus toward the positive and do my best to problem-solve the negative instead of focusing on it. To be a successful leader means to be able to focus your attention as well as your team's. This is especially hard in times of transformation when situations can challenge you and feel overwhelming to your team.

Successful change involves focused leadership. When leaders have focus, they're able to shine a spotlight on the specific goals they've set – or that their company has set. A focused leader will not be distracted from achieving their goals. Being focused demands prioritization while also being able to keep the larger picture in view, and a focused leader will guide employees in a definite direction by defining the most critical tasks and limiting information overload. 

It's all about how you direct your attention and your team's attention. For example, if you, as a leader, micromanage your organization, then your focus is on the minute details of the day-to-day and not on the most critical tasks or your end-game goals. Your job is to make sure your team understands their individual roles, and then trust them to execute. You need to ensure you direct your attention where you need it, when you need it. If you can master your attention, then you'll be in control of where you, your team, and your business focus.[i]

Where to Focus

The way I see it, there are three things companies need to focus on to be successful during transformation: There's the process, there's technology, and there are people. Processes are easy to change. The technology is easy to change. It's the people who are hard to change.

You have people that are in their jobs and are comfortable doing those jobs, and now you're asking them to change their approach, open themselves to new experiences, new relationships, new visions, to change their mindset, their ways of selling, and communicating. I mean, this blog is posted on LinkedIn. Fifteen or twenty years ago, no one would have thought, “Hey, to make connections and network, I should really be posting some blogs and stuff on a social site." But now, having a social presence is an essential part of business and sales.

Some people will evolve, some won't. I think that process is easy. It's been done before and documented. I work in technology, so I know the technology is available. You can get the solutions you need to pivot to where you need to go. The real challenge lies in your ability to focus people in the right way, without overwhelming them. Don’t have them stand 20 feet away to see Abraham Lincoln. Have them stand close and look at the details, then step back to take in the woman, Gala, and – when they’re ready – they will naturally step back and willingly see the whole picture. I invite you to check out Dali's Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea.[ii] Look at it up close, take in the details, then stand back from the screen and squint to see the big picture for yourself.

What do you focus on for success during transformation? Reach out – I’d love to hear your thoughts.

#Change #Leadership #TeamPlayer

 [i] https://hbr.org/2013/12/the-focused-leader

[ii] https://archive.thedali.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=152;type=101