Broaden Your Perspective

I had the chance to enjoy a few wonderful retreats and workshops this past week. Amazingly there was a common theme about how limited our perspective is and what we can do to change it. For example, why can’t everyone else agree with us and see the world the way we do? We may think they are being “close-minded” or stubborn. Is it them? Or is it us? Here is a great exercise to illustrate the point. Have two people stand back-to-back with one looking out a window and the other looking inside a room. Have each describe what they see. How can two people standing in almost the same spot describe such different scenes? Which one is right? Now imagine you have two people with different experiences, different skills and talents, different personalities and communication styles, different genetics, both thinking about the same problem. Will only one of them come up with the “right” solution? Rather than arguing with someone who has a different idea, maybe we could try saying “Interesting! Tell me more.” We might just find an even better idea or at least broaden our perspective.