Bosses and leaders exist to maximize results. This often unwritten job responsibility includes “approaching problems through a lens of opportunity.” (Forbes, 2013)
The ability to expand perspectives and design the right game plan will improve your results. It requires expanding the lens of your vision to create what your results could be. Embracing and engaging in this approach is a career and results changer.
What Gets in the Way?
Many bosses rely on linear thinking. From their POV, they find it easier and less work when they do what they’ve always done. They believe that change can rock the boat and hurt their upward mobility and paycheck. Unfortunately, these narrow points-of-view cause bosses to miss out on new opportunities and promotions! Remember, doing the same old things the same old way will disengage teams, hinder customer satisfaction, and turn the bottom line red.
Don’t miss another opportunity to improve your game plan by sharpening your vision and expanding your results!
6 Ways to Develop an Expanded Vision
Be patient. Developing an expanded vision take years of disciplined practice to master the ability to fine-tune your results. To achieve mastery faster, use the PXTS Leadership Report. It covers the six essential, time-proven leadership traits (Wiley, 2019) needed to achieve intended results.
Commitment. It starts with you. You must practice broadening your awareness and POV. When you have grandiose and unrealistic expectations, it will limit the quality of your results. Once you implement your game plan you will hit snags, and, at times, a concrete wall. Keep your vision focused on the game plan without changing the intended results! This honors your commitment to work past these snafus.
Get to the Root Cause. Linear thinking bosses fail to get to the heart of the issue and continue hoping for the best results. Non-linear thinking bosses also fail by relying (and hoping) on the helicopter approach. But, hope is not a strategy! Use persuasive listening skills and be open to discovering the root cause. Armed with this expanded vision, you can now produce amazing results.
Develop True Brainstorming Processes. Most companies do a horrible job of brainstorming. They rely on the first good idea or succumb to the boss’s vision of how it should be. Write down ALL ideas, no matter what they are, before discussing the pros and cons. Many times we laugh or criticize off-the-wall ideas. Yet, these can ignite team members to create a broader vision and build expanded results.
Get Real. Many goals sound great on paper or in your head. Yet, your observations of what will work may not work inside your company. This is true even if the idea worked for a competitor. To combat this, ask questions and listen to others (e.g., team members, functional areas in the company, and 1 or 2 business advisors). Be select when asking the right people for input and observations. Remember, too many opinions will muddy the perspectives of what to do next.
For example, have you ever seen postings on a social media site asking for help? Usually, they will receive 10+ ideas. Then, inevitably, the people posting the request express being confused, overwhelmed, and not knowing what to do next. Too many opinions will cloud your lens making your vision murky. Doing it alone will not work either.
Avoid Circular Logic. This is the biggest hurdle in achieving your intended results. Instead of straight talk, you hear what you want to hear and muddle your discernment of reality. Clarity is crucial. Use an experienced executive coach to guide you through the inevitable complex issues and confusing situations you will face.
For example, your intended results impact employees. Yet, you fail to include them during the design, planning, and implementation stages. Your excuse, “I don’t have time.” This will get you in trouble. You can either take some time now or take a lot of time later. (Think, hours vs. months or years.) Always remember, employees can embrace your game plan or silently thwart your envisioned results!
To expand the lens of possibilities, expand the direction of your envisioned results.
©Jeannette Seibly, 2019
Being a great boss requires working through complex issues and confusing situations. Jeannette Seibly has been an award-winning champion for people for the past 26 years. Contact Jeannette today for straight talk with dynamic results.
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