I was visiting an art museum last weekend when I had a realization that applies to leadership. The epiphany occurred when viewing the watercolors of the artist John Singer Sargent, a 20th century painter whose sparse brushstrokes yielded masterful and dramatic portraits and landscapes. When viewing his work up close, I saw the way he used limited strikes with the brush to create effect. The strokes seemed abstract and difficult to imagine as a “figure.”
It wasn’t until I stepped back and got distance that my eye filled in the missing pieces.
As I shifted my own perspective, the paintings began to change.
This is exactly what happens for leaders.
When you develop the capacity and self-mastery that allows you to step out of a situation, you “become the witness; not the judge.” Amazing what happens when this takes place. You are able to see things as they are, not as you would expect or like them to be. In fact, “you” are no longer part of the equation.
Your job as the leader is to observe, ask powerful questions, and allow others to see that effective action and behaviors are now available that perhaps they did not see before.
Sound difficult? It’s really not. The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.
For most people that first step is the most difficult. They are so busy trying to solve, fix, cajole or control the problem, they often neglect to use the post powerful weapon they already have; inner perspective.
Here are the 5 tips to shift your perspective.
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Stop first
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Get centered; be here now through your breath
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Continue breathing until you feel calm and collected
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Get curious; what looks different now?
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Speak as the leader and influencer you are
As you shift, you will improve your leadership capacity to become a witness.
As Wayne Dyer says,
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
If you are curious about how to develop the capacity and skill to do this for yourself, apply for a complimentary “Breakthrough Your Barriers” strategy session.
We guarantee that you will learn a few ways to look at things differently.