Perspectives are fun when we get to see them change. They are not fun when we recognize how deeply they can dig in. I once had a business mentor who loved to suggest a lot of reading material for me to consider. He loved the third party teaching method. If I was short on my temper and patience he might suggest I read tolerance materials. If I was long on egotistical attitudes he might suggest reading some humble pie segments. His teaching was directive but left open for me to go pursue. It was my choice to own up to the effort. His teaching moved parallel with my acceptance to learn. He watched my perspectives.
Perspectives cover a lot of ground, do they not? I remember my first managerial job in Sacramento, California. As I traveled up that corporate trail I met a few really good people. Many of them were on that career trail trying to help me grow up and become a better business leader. They offered me a useful hand to help me develop my business leadership skills. I remember one particular lady who wore these interesting glasses lined with those designer croakies that attach to the side temples of the specs. Hers were likely diamond designed. She was very fashion oriented. She also came from a family of some wealthy stock. I do not think her exhibits of trinkets were costume jewelry materials. They were usually items of the real McCoy.
When she would talk she would either have those glasses placed near the tip of her nose, or hanging down over her neck or better yet, on her face like glasses were meant to be worn. Her croakies were there to help her wear those glasses at any location on her torso without taking them off. She needed those glasses to be near her at all times. Her glasses were both part of her sight requirements as well as part of her fashionable attire. One thing I remember well was how I used to think elderly people used croakies to help them remember where their glasses were last placed. I wore glasses but never owned any croakies of my own. My perspective back then was camped on recognizing that these older people had memory issues. They used croakies to help them keep that memory in check. This way they did not need to remember where they set their glasses down when they took them off. They could hang them around their neck with style, instead.
That was my original perspective.
Today, being quite a bit older myself, I think croakies are a very cool fashion feature on professional women. Some look very good with them. In fact, I am amazed at the incredibly cool fashion designs they are able to find. Some croakies catch my attention. Some croakies look as if a lot of thought was given to make those fashion statements work well. Some look very expensive, too. They become interesting accessory items to the attire of professionals. In fact, I have noticed a lot of men wearing some very fashionable croakies as well. Perspective. It all centers around perspectives, does it not? My perspective on this issue has changed since I was younger.
Perspectives become the steering wheel of our thoughts. Our thoughts are guided by the perspectives we carry. I am not sure what you think when you meet someone who wears some fashionable croakies on the temples of their eye wear. If you think they look like older people, your perspective is controlling those thoughts. If you think their croakies look cool and fashionable, your perspectives are still in charge of your thoughts. Perspectives become the steering wheel of our thoughts. They guide how we see the world around us. This truth can become a challenge in the business world. It can bring on some interesting views.
Perspective drives how we see our world as well as how we are being seen in this world.
Leadership is as much about managing perspectives as it is about doing successful things. Our leadership habits are no different than how we are perceived when we wear croakies on our temples. The perspectives of our influences, contacts and associates carry us through the maize of business complications. Those perspectives govern how we are perceived, understood and respected. The leaders who are most successful in the business world carry with them the best results of how others perceive what they are there trying to do. It comes down to perspective. That perspective helps others to grab onto that wheel of direction. This is usually how business grows or suffers. It comes down to perspective.
Page two.
If your perspectives are dug in deeply to the soil of habits you desire to protect, your business world may remain steady where it currently resides. If your business is not producing well, your ability to change your current perspective has likely become very limited to change, at best. Leadership comes well when our perspectives can change. As our perspectives tighten up, our leadership becomes limited. Every single time I dig in to a thought I want to protect, my views become more narrow about what I am willing to accept. A narrow view can become a signature stamp on how much tolerance I am willing to allow. Granted, in some cases, this is good news. There are simply some issues that need to remain tightly linked to a very narrow view. Theft, for example, must not be tolerated. Never steal from an employee! That is a very narrow view but completely appropriate to protect.
On the other hand, some views need flexing. If you made a slight mistake in some filing at the office and it caused the staff to becomes lost on a small project...own up to it. Do not protect your perfection as a leader with the idea that you are not fallible. Even the best business leaders make mistakes. Own up to your mistakes. It will help your leadership become more real. It will also help your leadership to mature better. Maturity learns how to accept croakies in a different way. This kind of management style becomes the kind of style that leads more people. Narrow views where narrow views are not necessary can produce a narrow following. This is one of the great secrets to leadership success. Widen your perspectives. Quit digging in so deeply.
The best business managers I have met are the ones who possess the most success. They are also the ones who have the most keen perspectives about a wide variety of interesting subjects. Somehow their success has developed this interesting parallel to how well they maintain their tolerant views about the perspectives they allow. They are not narrow about errors, omissions and mistakes. They carry solid perspectives on these human traits. They know we all are fallible in our business ways. They do not get too wrapped up about who did what wrong. To them, croakies can become a fashionable accessory. It does not always mean the person wearing them has lost their memory.
If you lead a business, it would be a good piece of advice to learn more about how and where you need to apply more perspective. Your steering wheel will need to be able to turn where the action needs to be. This kind of work is an art. It should be practiced like an art. You will paint mistakes along the way because getting perspective is not a simple thing to do. However, when done correctly it will earn more trust and respect from those whom you need to have follow. Own up to the mistakes you make while you develop this perspective management style. Your associates and supporters will assist your steering wheel much better. This is just a perspective.
Until next time...
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