On a recent visit to the Indianapolis based Eiteljorg museum, a note in a new Native American display caught my eye. I don’t recall the exact wording, but the note called to light the fact that for centuries Native American ways of life and art have all been defined through a euro-centric, colonial lens. Simplistically, the art we saw depicting the native world was white-washed. Even the art taken from Native Americans wasn’t properly documented with artist, background, or any identifiable context to help us better understand the art.
Today, the new Eiteljorg exhibit is working to reverse that, providing a space for Native American’s to display their art and tell the story of their lives in their own terms. It’s an opportunity to gain a clearer perspective.
The thoughts on perspective had me contemplating how perspective plays a role in every aspect of life, yet, for the most part, we tend to ignore the lenses we’re looking through. We put on our personalized glasses daily, never to notice the glasses of those around us.
In a business setting, these lenses play a significant role in interpersonal interactions, task and project management, and ultimately, our success as an employee and a business’s success. With a colored, or even blinded viewpoint, chances of a complete and accurate picture are limited. Even when trying to practice the adage “walk a mile in my shoes,” there is not a complete solution. Practicing this is a good start in providing some broadening perspective, however there is still a deeper context to explore.
Going back to journalism school, I’m drawn to the 5Ws and the H. Daily interaction and some shoe walking might provide the Who, What and perhaps the When and Where, but the Why and How are where a more in depth understanding may live.
· Why do you think this way?
· Why do you do things this way?
· Why did you request this?
· How is this important for you?
These and so many other questions are not easy to answer as it’s all colored by personal perspectives, which are hard, if not impossible, to gain. We can never replicate that network of events and experiences that have shaped someone’s lens. Every lens is more unique than a fingerprint or snowflake.
So how do we offset all of these lenses in the workplace and in life? There is one right answer, but these three steps can make a big difference.
1. Own your misconceptions and mistakes. Admit when a wrong assumption is made, or an inaccurate view has held due to a personal lens. This could mean admitting to mistakes in your work. Mistakes are acceptable if we own and fix them!
2. Open the door to new voices. Take the Eiteljorg example and open the floor for each person to tell their own story. In the workplace that might mean inviting someone to a meeting to speak. It could be asking for clarification on emails before making assumptions.
3. Listen. Listen. Listen. After you’ve owned your own perspective bias and opened the floor, shut up and listen. Be sure you’re doing more than hearing; ensure you are understanding the value in the new perspective.
Data Driven Decisions 