Once I was working with a team, and the situation they kept facing was that one team member felt like they were being picked on. Now, according to most everyone else on the team, they weren’t being picked on at all. Rather, they actually had some performance issues, and the manager was trying to address those — but this team member felt like the manager was coming down really hard on them.
The interesting thing about this scenario is how perspective affects it. For every person involved, their perspective might be affecting them more than they realize. The important question, then, is what happens if they were to shift that perspective?
For the person who feels they are being picked on: what happens if they choose to believe everyone has the best intentions towards them? What happens if they choose to believe this is a situation that they can learn from and grow in a supportive environment?
For the manager: What happens if they choose to believe this person was fully capable of growth? What if they choose to believe this person provides something unique and powerful to the team — they just have to discover it?
For the rest of the team: What happens if they choose to believe that they have the power to help their team member grow? If they choose to believe they have something to learn from that person?
Now, I’m not saying the performance issues aren’t real. They very well may be. But isn’t it interesting that if we shift our perspective to 1) Believe the best in the people around us 2) Take responsibility for how we can help — then that situation is healthier, happier, and more productive for everyone involved.
Is there a perspective you can shift in yourself today?
