Perspective
David Freund, Chief Leadership Officer

We live in such a turbulent time, and yet, if we compare our present to the past, it isn’t more turbulent than before; we just think it is. We talk about unrest throughout the world as though there’s never been so much conflict and strife, and yet, compared against the history of the world, this is a relatively peaceful time. I was born during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and I remember hearing my grandmother talk about it when I asked why she had cans of water in her basement. I used to wonder why she still kept those cans of water in her basement for over a decade after the crisis had resolved. I later realized she did it because she lived in Europe just before World War II, at a time when things were very scarce; her perspective was different than mine.

Many say we live in such a divided nation. We might be quick to assume this is the worst it’s ever been, and yet our great nation lived through a time when brothers killed brothers in the name of patriotism. Some years ago, I was complaining to my son about how biased the media was and how quick they were to assassinate a person’s character, to which he replied, “Did you ever read the way the media portrayed President Abraham Lincoln?” With just that comment he made me realize that my perspective was skewed.

What do these examples show us? It’s all a matter of perspective. When we change our perspective, we change how we see things; when we see things differently, we change the way we interact with people; as we change how we interact with people, we change the world.

As leaders, we need to make sure that we always have a balanced perspective. Would we like things to be better? Of course we would,  but we need to stop acting like this is the worst situation we’ve ever incurred because it isn’t. Albert Einstein said, “in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” However to see the opportunity, we need to have a level head, a calm heart, and a ready team.

So, how do we prepare ourselves for the opportunity? Begin by turning the volume down. Limit your exposure to the never-ending barrage of “breaking news.” Determine when during the day you’re going to check the news, look for the updates and move on. You need to know what’s going on, and you need to know the facts, not someone’s opinion of the facts. Once we have this knowledge in hand, it’s time to engage in dialogue with your team. Give them a space to open up or share their concerns, either collectively or privately. Have the facts ready if needed, but don’t lead with them. Our objective as leaders is to listen and be empathetic. Please remember, we’re not minimizing anyone’s concern but rather helping them discover that they’ve been through quite a bit in the past and this is just another challenge that we’ll face together.

Once everyone has their bearings again, it’s time to move from challenge to opportunity. Remember Einstein’s words: “in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” With a calm mind and open eyes, we’ll be able to see the opportunity and seize it. In my Supervisory Leadership class yesterday morning, I asked this question: How many of you have ever feared the worst and had it turnout to be reality? Not one person raised their hand, and yet, so often, we catastrophize and develop the absolute worst scenario possible. It sounds to me like it’s time to change our perspective.

What are you challenged with right now? How could shifting perspective change your mindset? How could changing your mindset change how you interact with people? How could your interactions with people actually change the world? I’d love to know your thoughts!