Whenever you watch a movie or a television show, you see a leader who doesn’t need help from anyone else. These unrealistic narratives can actually create problems for people in the real world. That is because in reality, having multiple perspectives to consider is a strength, not a weakness. People who only view a single perspective on an event may find that they are out of touch, or that their view is flat out wrong. If you want your team to be successful in the long-run, you need to make sure that you are considering multiple perspectives, even the ones that you might not particularly like. Bouncing ideas off of your staff in meetings and allowing your team to speak freely is a big part of being a leader and arriving to the right conclusion.

We All Interpret Events Differently

Everyone looks at events differently. And there’s no problem with that! But it is important to acknowledge that we don’t all have the same experience. You might view a company’s decision in one light, whereas your colleague may look at it much differently. This is due to the different life experiences and relationships that we’ve accumulated throughout our lives.

Considering Multiple Perspectives Can Help You Avoid Mistakes

Having different experiences and interpretation within groups can actually be used to your advantage. You want to make sure that you are considering multiple perspectives when making a critical decision. When you only consider your own perspective, you might be missing something important. But when you ask other people about their experience, perspectives, and views, you’ll find that you make fewer mistakes. You’ll find that you have more options and avenues for you to consider.

Acknowledging The Perspectives Of Others Is Good For Team Cohesion

Acknowledging the perspectives of others isn’t just good for your team’s effectiveness, it is also good for team cohesion. When you are giving other people the time to voice their opinion, and letting them know that their views matter and are appreciated, you are more likely to have a team that likes working with each other. Building up this kind of chemistry takes time, and it isn’t going to happen overnight. But you can dramatically improve your team chemistry just by taking the time over the weeks and months to let your team members know that their opinions matter.

We all interpret events differently. This isn’t a bad thing. But is absolutely something you have to recognize and appreciate. Don’t make the mistake of only considering one narrative. Don’t lock yourself into a single interpretation of events. As a leader, you need to think about how everyone views the situation. Make sure that you consider multiple perspectives before making that big decision. Someone else might have thought about the small things that you forgot about.