Step 7: Gain Perspective


“What I learned about myself,” one executive told us when talking about a particular passage in his life, “was worth all the pain.” Rising above a passage and seeing it from a higher perspective helps put difficult events in context. Even great leaders become so immersed in the pace of life, the demands of others, and the details of working in complex, interdependent organizations that it is possible to miss the larger meaning of events. We can’t see that a temporary setback at work, such as losing a key customer, missing a projection, being passed over, reporting to a disliked peer, or some other event that completely absorbs us loses its significance when a more significant event such as loss, grief, or illness arrives. But leaders regularly tell us that even those events, as painful and difficult as they can be, constitute the flow of life and ultimately contribute to a greater sense of meaning when enough objectivity and detachment can be invoked. In the heat of the moment, we forget these truths. This is why it’s so difficult to learn from our experiences while they are occurring. We become mired in our fears, anxiety, or negative feelings, or we replay our mistakes ad infinitum. We are unable to view our feelings, our situation, or ourselves with any degree of objectivity.

The literal nature of this step is that you move away from your situation, gain some distance on it. The new viewing angle provides a degree of objectivity that lets you see your passage within a larger context. One female marketing executive we have worked with, for instance, was struggling with the need to report to a particularly bad supervisor. What helped her get through it and learn from it was perspective. As she said, “I used to confuse my role as vice president of marketing with my identity. Now I know that I don’t own my job, and it doesn’t own me.” It is common for people to confuse their identities with their jobs. In non-passage times, it is hard to achieve this perspective. Leaders in roles with significant responsibility and authority especially are tempted to blur their role with their sense of self. They become caught up in peoples constantly needing them, asking their opinions, and valuing what they have to say.

A passage is an opportunity to see a job—or any event in life—from a broader perspective. A career roadblock or uncomfortable circumstance shakes your confidence, your routine, and your sense of control. Suddenly, you have a chance to see things clearly. Force yourself to take advantage of this fresh view, and remind yourself that you are participating in a leadership development experience. It will make negative events in a passage more palatable and understandable. It will also provide you with insight about what is important in your career and your life. The female marketing executive resolved to not let her role dominate her and to develop a clear understanding of her priorities, including making more time for others. As she put it, “I will no longer do things that I don’t want to do.” It was a statement she could never have made until she went through the passage.




Leadership Passages. The Personal and Professional Transitions That Make or Break a Leader
Leadership Passages: The Personal and Professional Transitions That Make or Break a Leader (J-B US non-Franchise Leadership)
ISBN: 0787974277
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 121

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