An Experience of Changing Perspective
Ever have a conversation with someone who said something so insightful it totally shifted your thinking? Those enlightening conversations leave you admitting, “I didn’t think of it that way”; whatever “that way” might be. A few of those types of conversations have left me feeling that I was not as attuned with the world as I believed. Even so, before we beat ourselves up, realize what we can do is equip ourselves with experience perspective. Well, what is the experience perspective? It is the knowledge you gain by exposing yourself to a variety of people, situations, cultures, and opportunities. When applied, the knowledge in these learning moments gives you a different perspective, points of reference, or empathy for the situations and experiences of others; most often when other ideas, viewpoints, and perspectives are different from yours or you never thought of something “that way before.”
Experiences color how you perceive the world around you. Previous experiences, both positive and negative, impact the way you approach situations, resolve conflict, interact with strangers, and engage with those you are in a relationship with, in and out of the workplace. Take one client situation for instance:
“Sharon is the new manager of a tight-knit, productive and high performing team. She hosted a meeting to get to know her new team and it did not go well. The team, a casual and laid-back group, expressed concern over how Sharon seemed inflexible. To be fair, Sharon’s closeness with a former team created productivity issues that threatened her career. Those problems shaped her now structured and “by the book” management style; a style which obviously will not work with her new team. After meeting privately with each team member Sharon gains insight into the quality and commitment of her new team. Armed with a different perspective, Sharon adjusts her approach. After all, maintaining the creativity of an already high-performing team means less stress for her.”
Consider these three takeaways from Sharon’s experience:
1. Limited experiences will equal limited perspectives. Be curious enough to explore outside of your way of thinking or area of expertise. Kudos to Sharon for being curious enough about the team’s concerns to meet one-on-one with each of them. Not only did Sharon give them her undivided attention, but she was also present and heard their concerns. Sharon got to know each team member a little better and gained insight into how well her new team already performs. This is not a team that needs to be micromanaged by a helicopter boss, so if it’s not broke Sharon, don’t waste time trying to fix it. #Good4You
2. Consider other viewpoints of a situation or their resolutions to a problem. Seek to understand varying perspectives and how they can align and accomplish a common goal. Instead of assuming all employees are like her previous team, or steamrolling over the concerns of her new team and do things her way, Sharon considered the concerns of her team and adjusted her perspective. Adapting to a flexible leadership style provides autonomy for her team to do what they do best, in the way they do it best. #WaytoLead
3. Resist allowing past experiences to affect current or new relationships. Release negative perceptions so new positive ones can direct your path forward. Sharon did not allow the management mishaps of her former team to keep her from building a good relationship with her new team. By adjusting her perspective, Sharon was able to shift her team’s original perspective of how she leads and relieve their feelings of anxiety for adjusting to “the new boss.” #LeadbyExample
Imagine being a new manager building a know, like, and trust relationship with your team.
Be open to learning what you do not know and allow curiosity to take you to the places you have not been. Respect the views and opinions of others and consider their position when implementing change that affects them and their work. You will recognize opportunities to expand yourself more often and your team will feel empowered to follow your lead. If you want to grow in perspective, welcome new experiences that are different from what you are accustomed to. Become the leader that cultivates new levels of creativity in your team. Excite yourself over a whole new world of ideas and possibilities.
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