Also known as worldview, mental model or mind-set, our perspective of the world is based on the sum total of our knowledge and experiences. It defines us, shaping our thoughts and actions because it represents the way we see ourselves and situations, how we judge the relative importance of things, and how we establish a meaningful relationship with everything around us.
Cultivating a wise perspective is the first step toward developing wise leadership capacity. A shift in perspective tends to occur in two ways: either it is triggered involuntarily by extreme external circumstances like a crisis/desperation or it is induced voluntarily by a conscious effort to change oneself for the better through high aspiration.
Shifting perspective means becoming sensitive to the context around us and being able to see the world without any filters. It allows us to broaden our worldview and empathize with people who think and act radically different from us. A perspective shift could yield different insights and actions.
In the new book "From Smart to Wise," authors Prasad Kaipa and Navi Radjou write that wise leaders tend to pay attention to patterns that connect and ideas that expand their worldview and help them find a larger meaning in life. When these leaders work with others, they keep their eyes open for what connects and integrates each other and their larger purpose.
When interpersonal conflicts arise within their team, wise leaders resolve them by framing the conflict in a larger context. They enjoy and excel at coaching and mentoring others in their process of shifting their perspective.
Albert Einstein once said: "One cannot solve a problem with the same mind-set that created it in the first place." As the global business environment, driven by diversity and interconnectivity, becomes increasingly complex, we all need a range of skills to deal with the challenges. Smart leaders need to identify and understand the limitations of their perspective and then learn to shift it.
Source: Prasad Kaipa: From Smart to Wise: Acting and Leading with Wisdom