Successful Leadership Through Perspective

The source of leadership perspective can be found everywhere yet most of the time we only see our own.

Leaders like all individuals have perspectives with a clearly identified point of view. This point of view need not be good, useful or on point but when one has a point of view it can feels easier to be confident about a choice or a decision.

Individual points of view are narrowed based on many factors including personal experience and characteristics. As a result of our nature and nurture mash-up we have learned to see the world from certain angles and, in doing so, often see what we are looking for and miss the opportunity for more.

Our perspective impacts how we gather, take in and assess information. While having a perspective is very important, as our perspective can help us stay grounded and consistent, it can also be limiting.

As a leader it is important to have a clear point of view that enables your business strategic perspective. If you approach a business decision or build a plan without a strategic perspective you can lack an anchor from which to hold your ground while building or changing course. Having a perspective is not only a fact, it is also a good starting point so do not knock it. But while perspective is a starting point it is not an ending point.

Putting Leadership Perspective In Context

Your perspective can and should include your own values, philosophy, beliefs, needs, goals, motivations and individual differences.

For example if your perspective on a situation is such that you want to gain a financial advantage that perspective could inform your actions differently compared to another person who has as a goal the desire to balance work with family.

These two need to be exclusive of course but if the perspective of financial advantage is unchecked it could negatively impact other aspects of your life. When your perspective is not constantly tested and evaluated you run the risk of narrowing your perspective so much that you lose perspective.

Great leaders often have a strong point of view but frequently their point of view has been informed by the points of view of many. This provides them with the leadership perspective to understand other need and wants. This does not mean supplanting ones own needs and wants it means rounding them out with the perspectives of others.

Understanding others motivations and needs is often vital to leadership business and success. In business it is often useful to consider the perspectives of these 5 targets:

1.  Customers or Clients
2.  Employee, Colleagues
3.  Other Organization Leaders
4.  Competitors and Your Broader Industry
5.  The Community including education, government and much more.

Within each of these point of view there will be many more nuanced perspectives; for example the perspective of a happy and satisfied customer will vary from the perspective of an unhappy and dissatisfied customer.

Next page: perspective expanding opportunities in mind