5♦️ Zooming out: The power of perspective

In the fast-paced world of business, challenges and setbacks are inevitable. As a leader, it's easy to get caught up in the immediate crisis and lose sight of the bigger picture.

Problem or challenge

When faced with a difficult situation, it can be overwhelming as your mind wrestles with all the things that need to be fixed. This can lead to stress, anxiety, and potentially poor decision-making.

Complexities

The challenge lies in maintaining a balanced perspective while dealing with urgent issues. It's easy to become reactive and tunnel-visioned, overlooking the broader context of the situation.

Solution

The "zooming out" technique involves taking a step back and examining the situation from a broader perspective. By considering the bigger picture, you can gain valuable insights and make more informed decisions. Here's how to apply this technique:

1. Identify the core problem: Clearly define the issue at hand and its immediate consequences.

2. Step back: Take a moment to distance yourself from the situation and consider the broader context. What’s the worst that can happen? What would you do next if that happened? Rarely do business problems end in death and there’s nearly always a way to move on.

3. Assess the impact: Evaluate the long-term implications of the problem and its potential solutions.

4. Reframe the situation: Look for opportunities to learn and grow from the challenge.

5. Take the first step: Don’t think you have to solve everything in one go all by yourself. Just take one step and make progress in the right direction. Only after that is it worth worrying about what’s next.

Benefits

By zooming out, you can:

• Reduce stress: Gain a sense of perspective and reduce the emotional impact of the problem.

• Make better decisions: Make more informed and rational choices by considering the broader context.

• Build resilience: Develop the ability to bounce back from setbacks and challenges.

• Improve relationships: Maintain a calm and composed demeanour, fostering trust and respect with your team and stakeholders.

Why it works

The human brain is wired to focus on immediate threats and challenges. By consciously shifting your focus to the bigger picture, you can override this natural tendency and make more effective decisions.

Measurement

The effectiveness of the zooming out technique can be measured by:

• Reduced stress: Monitor your stress levels and overall well-being.

• Improved decision-making: Evaluate the outcomes of your decisions and identify any patterns of success or failure.

• Increased resilience: Assess your ability to bounce back from setbacks and challenges.

• Enhanced relationships: Gather feedback from your team and stakeholders on your leadership style and effectiveness.

My story

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve felt overwhelmed. As my friend and fellow speaker Hilary Briggs talks about, ‘Overcoming Overwhelm’ is a key and very common challenge for business leaders. As leaders we have to be able to put things in context and bounce back from the many setbacks we’ll face. It goes with the territory!