Forest For The Trees – Keeping Things In Perspective

Written by James Sanders

Maybe I am watching too much newsflow, but you would think the world is completely a mess and we are on the verge of a major collapse in the US.  While some may believe this to be the case, there are others that see things going in the right direction. Regardless, the ultimate landing spot on any issue is probably a place that neither side considered.  

When people in an organization exhibit this type of behavior, it’s usually not a good thing.  It reminds me of the concept of not being able to “see the forest for the trees”.   It is easy to get way to focused on an issue or detail and completely lose perspective of the whole situation or the vaunted “big picture”. 

If a member of the team gets “stuck” or there is a rift amongst the staff, it helps to talk through the issues and get refocused on the ultimate goal.  That’s why having a strong  culture and a solid understanding of its mission and vision are so important.  As an effective leader of any organization, it’s important to “see the forest for the trees.”  

I thought the quote below provides a good view on perspective:
“One person’s craziness is another person’s reality.” ― Tim Burton

Below are some great articles on perspective and leadership:
• The Importance Of Perspective In Entrepreneurship (forbes.com)
• Train Your People to Take Others’ Perspectives (hbr.org)
• Why ‘perspective taking’ is an important skill in business | World Economic Forum