Perspective.

Perspective allows us to influence control by offering insight from different angles that one person can't see. When an individual is open to this insight, they can make decisions with clarity.

If you've ever driven a forklift, you likely understand the importance and power of perspective. If you've never driven a forklift, or have and don't know how perspective applies, let me explain.

Forklifts are often perceived as fairly simple to drive. Three (sometimes four) levers that move the forks, and then a gas pedal, brake pedal, and steering wheel are the common controls. Once you learn to drive a forklift though, you quickly learn that while the controls are easy to use, it is extremely difficult to see what controls need to be used once the forks are near the top of the mast. Suddenly, it isn't quite as easy as it looked, yet everyone watching you still yells directions at you like they are the professional. Demanding action in ways such as, "Forks up! Tilt down! Slide Right! You're going to hit the beam! Your pallet is caught on the upright!" All you can think at this point is, "Shut up! You don't even know how to drive!"

While sometimes irritating, these instructions can be extremely useful because they come from a perspective where the needed movement is extremely clear. To the person on the ground watching you, all they can think is, "Seriously? You've hit the shelf 4 times now and you still can't see that the pallet isn't level with the racking." The truth is that the driver really can't see that the pallet isn't level with the racking. The driver has all the control with a limited perspective while the viewers have limited control with a full perspective.

I think about life, and even leadership at times, as similar to being in the drivers seat. We often have a lot of control, but a limited perspective, where the people looking into our life/lead tend to have a full perspective with limited control. We succeed when we have full perspective and full control. The difficult part though, is listening to and acting on the shared perspective. We find ourselves taking other perspectives like a forklift driver, "Shut up! You don't even know how to do it!" While the people sharing their perspective are watching us and thinking, "Seriously? You've made the same mistake 4 times now and you still don't see where the change needs to happen." However, when we take the time to listen to the insight they are giving, we can’t see for ourselves what is going wrong, but we now have direction guiding our control.

Listening to and acting on perspectives that give us clarity is where we find success. Of course listening to everyone is not logical. Listening to the people we trust and who share the perspectives we don't have is how we know which control needs attention. Driving the forklift, I can see the bottom of the pallet fine. I know where it is. Tell me something I can't see. Where is the top of the pallet? How much room until I hit the top beam? Should I tilt up or down?

Perspective is important because, like a Why, it can help us to see the bigger picture. When you're sharing perspective, share what they can't already see. When someone you trust gives their perspective and it provides vision where you can't see, it might be a good idea to listen. They could be wrong, but they might be right.