The Perspective Window
Back in high school, my geography teacher, Mr. (Aaron) Holmes introduced to our class a Perspective Window.
Mr. Holmes was a seasoned traveller, who had visited and lived in many countries, most of them developing, to complete mission trips. After establishing himself as a high school teacher in Kitchener, Ontario, he created an Outreach class that would teach students about global issues, and finish the term off with a mission trip in an impoverished country. People always say that travelling gives you a new perspective, and Mr. Holmes fit the saying. So when he discussed the Perspective Window, we all believed what he said.
The basis of his definition, was that every individual has a “window” that they view life through. He explained that each person’s window is different, unique to them based on the experiences and circumstances they have lived. A person he would have encountered on one of his mission trips would have a very different Perspective Window than that of one of my classmates, who would have been raised in a middle-upper class family in Canada.
As he continued, he began to describe what, to me, was the most important part of this concept. As he prepared students for a mission trip, he would describe that often times on these trips, Perspective Windows would shatter. But not the way we would typically think about windows shattering.
The way Perspective Windows shatter, is that they expand for a slight second, only to return back to the original size. And although the same size, these windows never truly return to what they were. Because as he said, “once you see something that shatters your Perspective Window, you will never be able to unsee it, and it will change your perspective forever”.
When I think back to that class, this concept, and Mr. Holmes as a teacher, I can’t help but think how applicable this is to all faucets of life, especially leadership.
Cody Royle has discussed this concept further, when talking about the incredible All or Nothing series on Prime Video. He explains that athletes now get access to what top coaching of their sport looks like. They get to see the likes of Sean McVay, Pep, and (soon to see) Sheldon Keefe, in action. This may seem daunting to many coaches, knowing they are now being compared to professionals. But in my opinion, this has been happening to leaders way before Prime Video began this series.
As with the Perspective Window, each athlete and employee is a product of the previous leadership they received. And subconsciously or deliberately, each person we lead, is comparing our approaches to ones they have already had with former bosses. Daunting right?
Not at all. I see a great opportunity.
The people we lead, and their perspective on what leadership is, when utilized, allows us to create a better leadership environment. Asking our employees or players what they enjoyed, and what they hated from previous bosses or coaches gives us a glance into their Perspective Window, and how we can become better leaders for them. We can look to implement more of the things they thrived with, and less of the things they struggled with.
Being able to genuinely ask the people we lead to take us on a journey into their Perspective Window, will allow us to see what they value in leadership, and as a byproduct, change our own Perspective Window. And when we can continuously change our own perspective on leadership, we become better leaders for our people, and give ourselves the best opportunity to Get Over the Hump.
Think you know someone who wants to Get Over the Hump?
Want to join the climb?