“For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing.”— C.S. Lewis
Have you ever seen a sign that says “Buffalo Crossing” and then actually seen buffalo crossing the road? I have.
On travels for my clients, I have seen buffalo, giraffes, bears, deer, cows, armadillos, and many other creatures crossing in front of my car. When I was in South Africa, we waited about 20 minutes for a herd of elephants to cross the road. The driver had no intention of honking the horn or doing anything to draw the attention of those majestic pachyderms. By contrast, in my home in western New York State, the most frequent non-human animals crossing the road are deer.
When we spend most of our time in one environment, we often lose track of other possibilities. When we give ourselves new perspectives, we begin to pay attention to different things.
As a leader, consider what road trips you can take your team on physically or even virtually. What can you and your people learn by going backstage in other organizations within your company or in other companies? What new ideas might they bring back? What expanded awareness can help them do their jobs in new ways that bring greater value to your organization?
What growth might a fresh perspective bring?
Yours in the calm pursuit of excellence,
Alan Willett
