One of the courses I struggled with during my undergraduate years was Dynamics. The course was required for all Mechanical Engineering majors. I took it twice. One of the reasons I struggled was that I constantly chose the wrong coordinate system or reference frame to solve the problem. Pick the right reference frame, the problem would solve it self.
I had no sense of propriety of reference frames. It wasn’t until I solved the problems with the wrong reference frame correctly that I could then see the simpler problem by choosing the correct reference frame. Taking that course twice taught me a lot about life and choices we make in how we look at problems.
If a problem appears to be complicated, there is usually a point of view of the problem I’m not considering.
Perspective is a leader’s resource that will help make decisions. If a clear course of action is not apparent the steps I like to take are:
- step away, breath and take a look at the situation from a 10,000 foot level.
- get into the details of possible solutions and see what feels right
- get an extra pair of eyes – ask a friend or co-worker their perspective. This is the value of diversity in the workplace – different cultures and different points of views.
Even after executing all above, accept you have blind spots. After choosing a course of action, know something from your blind spot may appear. There’s no need to worry, re-assess and course correct if necessary or choose to stay the course & deal with fall out.
This is so true. At the end of a leadership program I teach, I ask participants “What will stop you from being the best leader you can be?” Then we play a game where most work too hard to find the solution with their heads hovered over the game board. The one person who stands back and looks at the puzzle from a distance is the one that will see the solution. Unfortunately, people don’t listen until they are ready to give up. In the end, they all realize that to be a good leader, you have to consistently stand back to see all the possibilities, for tactical actions and your own leadership behaviors.