Edition 7: Perspective

This edition is about perspective.? The benefits of keeping things in perspective, the problems that can occur when we lose perspective and some tools on how we can regain perspective.?

My introduction to mindfulness and how it helped me gain perspective

As a teenager I had a real fear of exams.? I understand that nobody likes them, but I had done badly in my mock O’ levels and was really worried that I was going to fail the final exams.? I had always been reasonably bright and got good marks in my school work, but performed worse under exam conditions.? It wasn’t helped by the fact that my two best friends were at or near the top of the class and I felt that I should be up there with them.

All of this led to me losing perspective.? The fear and panic that I felt thinking that my whole future rested on passing these exams. It affected my ability to revise.? The anxiety made it difficult to concentrate.? I didn’t think anything I was trying to learn was going in and my sleep was affected.?

My mum was concerned about me and mentioned this to my best friend’s Mum, who happened to be a yoga and mindfulness teacher.? I had a couple of sessions with her and she recorded me a 30 minute mindfulness exercise onto a cassette tape – this was the 1970s!

It was my first experience of mindfulness. It was a revelation to be taken in a visualisation to a place of calm where I felt the warm sun shining on me and the cool earth supporting me.? I can still feel the sensation I felt then, as I relaxed into my bean bag, remembering how it felt hearing Mrs Sidebottom’s reassuring warm Yorkshire tones talking to me.?

That cassette was a real game changer. As a result I did better than I expected in my O levels and that tape helped me get through my A levels and degree, by calming my mind and helping me maintain perspective.

“When you Change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” ???????????????? Wayne Dyer?

Why is Perspective important to Leaders?

Perspective is the way we see the world.? It comes from our own point of view and is formed by many things including our life experiences, values, current state of mind, assumptions and mood.

It’s important to leaders because it shapes how we understand, respond to and guide our teams.? Here’s some reasons why perspective is vital for effective leadership:

Decision-Making

Leaders with perspective can look at issues in the round, weighing up short-term challenges against long-term goals.? It enables them to make balanced, strategic decisions.

Adaptability and Resilience

Challenges and setbacks are inevitable.? A leader with perspective views obstacles as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable problems, enabling them to maintain their resilience and be adaptable under pressure.

Empathy and Understanding

Perspective enables leaders to see situations from other’s viewpoints.? This allows them to create connections with individuals more easily and build stronger relationships.

Managing Conflict

Being able to see the bigger picture, and the situation through other people’s eyes, is really important in conflict management.? Respectfully acknowledging and understanding the views of all sides, helps find fair and unbiased solutions.

Focus on the Bigger Picture

There can be a tendency to get caught up in the day to day.? Perspective helps leaders prioritize what truly matters, to zoom out and focus on strategy and direction of travel of the business rather than getting distracted by minor issues.

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How to Regain Perspective

It can be easy to lose perspective when situations become stressful, life feels overwhelming and when challenges could our judgement.? Here are some practical steps that I utilise in my coaching:

??♀?Take a Break and Reflect

As I’ve described earlier, practicing mindfulness creates space for reflection and reduce stress and anxiety. As can other activities that help you disconnect and recharge, such as a walk in nature, exercise or hobbies.?

??Shift Your Focus

I was coaching someone recently who recognised that he was stuck in the weeds and wanted some distance.? I suggested that he push his chair back and see what that felt like.? There was an immediate shift in his thinking and he got new actionable insights to take him forward.

??See things through a different Lens

Another exercise I use in coaching, if individuals are having difficulty shifting perspective, is to try on a different lens.? I invite them to move physically into another part of the room and ask them to view the situation through the lens of another person.? It could be someone they respect, a sporting hero, or a character from a book or film. Inviting the thinker to then consider how that individual would think about the situation? What advice they might give?

?? Practice Gratitude

Reflect on what's going well in your life. If you tend to focus on the negative, then keep a gratitude journal or simply list three things every day that you’re thankful for to help shift your mindset.

By creating space for clarity, shifting physically, or observing situations from different angles and through different lenses, can help regain perspective and tackle challenges with renewed confidence.

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." Marcel Proust

?Questions for Reflection

1. What are the warning signs for you that you are losing perspective?
2. What are you struggling with that might benefit from being looked at from a different angle?
3. What might a situation look like from someone else’s perspective?
4. What helps you to regain your perspective?
5. What do you know now that you didn’t before?

Resources

Mindfulness Apps:? Calm? Headspace

Spencer Johnson; Who Moved My Cheese?

A short book that uses a simple allegory of two mice navigating a maze in search of cheese, which symbolises goals, success or happiness.? The book teaches that mindset and attitude to navigating change successfully.? It’s a reminder that perspective is a choice – how you see and respond to change determines your ability to succeed and find fulfilment.

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