Break Out of Perspective Prison

The Red Hot Chili Peppers song “Sick Love” has the lyrics “prisons of perspective, how your vision gets corrected”. I’m no music expert, but I always thought this part of the song was about how changing your perspective can set you free. In business, sometimes a change in perspective is exactly what we need to get to the next step.  

If it isn’t broken, fix it anyway.We’re all human. Sometimes we get stuck in a rut and continue to do things the same way we always did. We may even continue to do something without really knowing why we do it. It’s just the way it’s always been. Remember the story about the young lady that cut the ends off her brisket before cooking her grandmother’s favorite recipe? Only when her friend asked why she did it, did she call her grandmother to ask. It turns out grandma just trimmed the meat to fit inside the small oven in her old house, and they have since been wasting brisket for generations. Now, I’m not against tradition and I don’t think we should throw away all our tried and true inventions and processes. But, look at everything around you in your business…or at home. What pain points exist? What hasn’t been improved over the last couple of years or decades? Remember banging ketchup out of glass bottles? Now we just squeeze! Whomever thought of that had to change their perspective too. If we all had an “if it isn’t broken don’t fix it” attitude, nothing would ever change. We would be void of innovation. What can you improve in your daily routine to make more efficient or more cost effective or simpler? Look at old and make it new again. 

Walk boldly toward change. I believe everything happens for a reason. Sometimes when we don’t understand that reason…we just need to give it some air, let it settle so we can think. Eventually, a lightbulb moment occurs. It can be a bit scary taking off down an unknown trail, but we must push ourselves out there, and accept the fact that sometimes we may fail. So, you missed out on a new opportunity or you lost a bid for some new business…what did it teach you? How will what you learned from the experience change how you innovate going forward? You may even find that you rise from disappointment in a stronger and better place than you were before. Some people, like me, find it more comfortable to take point and lead the change – this is where you can make the greatest impact. Step up and walk boldly toward open doors whenever you are presented with new challenges – even if they seem daunting or untimely. 

Ask the right questions. Changing our frame of reference or asking different questions can help identify opportunities right in front of us. You never know unless you ask, right? Be intellectually curious. Find the facts. Do your homework and get smart about new business opportunities and career paths. Sometimes you may even find an entirely new path to your goal by asking yourself (and others) a long string of questions. What does my business need to compete more effectively? If I were a customer, why would I choose this product over the alternatives? How can we do this in half the time or with half the cost? Then…and this is the MOST important part. Go find a way to answer those questions. Take ownership and see things through. Don’t walk up to your boss without a plan to address the challenges you see in front of you. The brightest people know that presenting solutions with the problems or questions – is the best way forward. Question everything and innovate like it’s your job!

Changing your view about something is hard. But, finding new perspective is something that can benefit everyone. Start small…and see what you can do!