A long-time client of mine is a commercial photographer who continually expands her skills, trying new categories to capture, taking workshops to learn new techniques. In a recent conversation, she expressed this mission: "To take photos that help people see the featured objects differently than they have in the past."
I thought - Gee, what if we could each experience an event or person, something we've probably encountered before, in a fresh way, without the pre-disposition we have to interpret it as we have in the past. If Joan (Joan Wozniak, PG Links & Photo Joan) can shoot for new views of familiar sights, why can't we all?
Among the more insidious of our limitations is our 'point of view'. Yet, it is virtually invisible despite the supreme power it holds over the possibilities for our success in negotiation, relationships, sales, cooperation, reputation, team building, leadership or personal development.
Our own point of view provides a uniquely personalized 'short hand' for making decisions and choices and results from two sources:
- the accumulation of millions of stored memories and experiences that our super computer brains file through when categorizing new or repeat circumstances;
- the 'why' of us. The hard wired operating system we each possess that leads us to respond or initiate with a broadly, pre-defined set of comfortable 'it's-just-who-I-am' behaviors and beliefs.
By acknowledging all our conclusions come from our unique perspective plus the facts of the situation, we can broaden the possible outcomes in front of us. How? Well, here are 3 possible tools:
1. Model yourself after someone whose choices you value and respect. "What would Susie Q do here?" Examine the diversity and consider - 'Can I see it this way?'
2. Ask yourself: "What assumption do I hold to be true in this case that perhaps, is not? How would things change for me if it turned out not to be true?"
3. Try taking a quick behavioral assessment and watch your jaw drop when you read the results. These remarkable, statistically accurate tools are designed to provide huge insight into your own behavioral style or that of your employees or potential new hires. Based on the premise that 'knowledge is power' these tools will result in a new level of skill, helping you to understand why you do what you do, how it's likely to show up in your working life, and how others might interpret it. Or, you may want to make this available to an employee to gauge her/his most productive working environment, a manager you're grooming for leadership, a team member to determine the best role s/he can play, or a new manager to see how s/he's likely to handle a diverse department. Many useful possibilities, all designed to broaden your preferred, successful outcomes.
Want to know more? Just give me a call. Frankly, I think these tools are remarkable, helping us move along knowledgeably and productively through life and business. Of course, that's my point of view.