From Smart to Wise: Acting and Leading with Wisdom

Shifting Your Perspective

Albert Einstein once famously 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. Both kinds of smart leaders need to identify and understand the limitations of their perspective and then learn to shift it.

We see two critical paths to shifting one’s perspective, as indicated in the “What Is ‘Perspective’?” section. The common path is that of desperation, which is adopted by leaders who have to radically shift their perspective in reaction to unexpected crisis. In this dire situation, the shift in perspective usually ...