Keep Things in Perspective – An Essential New Leader Mindset

New leaders can get easily lost in the moment and fail to understand the bigger picture.  Perspective matters. Being new in the role, the leader might not realize the cyclical nature of the business or the importance of certain elements. What appears trivial at first blush may prove essential in the long run.

Wisdom often comes with age and experience. Many new leaders lack both. However, this doesn’t curtail a new leader from being tremendously successful. It simply means that they should embrace a mindset of importance. Doing so is the only way to keep things in perspective.

Spending time understanding what is truly important allows new leaders to put things in perspective. The day-to-day messiness of work might cause them to confuse urgency with importance. Just because a bell rings or a light blinks, they don’t have to react. They aren’t one of Pavlov’s dogs.

New leaders must learn to pause, clarify, and decide. Doing so is the only way to keep things in perspective and to act accordingly.

What about your new leaders?

Here are a few questions to get you thinking about the leader you are, or the new leaders you are developing:

  • How have new leaders failed to keep things in perspective in the past?
  • What has a lack perspective cost the leader and the organization?
  • Which new leaders are struggling to see the big picture? What systems could be put in place to help them?

Take it from me

Twenty-plus years ago, I was an army lieutenant serving as a platoon leader of a 39-person airborne infantry platoon. As a new leader, there were times when I, like many new leaders, failed to keep things in perspective. In retrospect, I wasted time and energy on less important things, you don’t have to do the same.

Click below to read each of the 5 key leadership mindsets.

1.   check your ego

2.   remain fair and consistent

3.   earn respect

4.   engage people

5.   keep things in perspective

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Photo by nikko macaspac on Unsplash