Ever find yourself muttering, “If you could just step back and take a look at the big picture, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation,”? Yeah? Me, too. It’s not a great feeling, and can lead to some serious morale issues, so having a few coping strategies can be really helpful
There are a myriad of reasons why folks might be having trouble seeing what’s all around them. Possibilities include (but are certainly not limited to):
- They’ve got a serious life event happening outside of work.
- They’re stuck on a huge project, with a looming deadline, and have developed tunnel vision.
- No one from the top is giving them (or anyone) a good sense of “the point” of it all.
Whatever the reason, it can be frustrating to work with someone when you can clearly see that they aren’t grasping the reality of the situation in some way. This is particularly true when that lack of perspective is negatively impacting you, your work, or your team. Unfortunately, shaking them and yelling, “Open your eyes and look around!” isn’t going to fix the issue, either. Here are a few things that might:
Make: Space to Share
Sometimes, people are just stuck on things outside of work. If someone is going through a family crisis, a serious health issue, or dealing with the fall-out of a national disaster (Hi, Irma. Not so nice to know you.), you may know about it. Then again, they might be keeping it under wraps. This depends on their personal preferences, and on the culture of your office.
Giving these people space to share, whether it’s with you, their work wife, or just their direct supervisor, can help them free up some mental space to get back on track at work. Even better if whoever they are talking to is able to offer some type of assistance beyond a friendly ear. Encourage those around you to share what’s going on, and do your best to make them feel heard in some way. My favorites? Brainstorming ways to help, organizing a potluck lunch for the team, bringing them their favorite coffee in the morning, or a simple IM a few days later to check in for an updates since you last talked.
Knowing that those at work are behind them can free up some mental space and keep folks motivated to keep on keeping on with work. Teams work better when they stick together.
Be: A Sounding Board
Other times, people are just stuck. It’s possible that they’ve been working on a big project, and they hit a snag that they can’t get past on their own. Maybe they got past that stumbling block, but now their timeline is all off and they don’t have time for anything else. They could then be leaning on all sorts of additional resources (other people or equipment) that they were not planning to use, thus putting others in a bind.
Don’t let your own frustration (because if you feel the need to help them see the big picture, you’re probably frustrated) color your explanation.
They need someone to help them put it all into perspective. Don’t be afraid to be that person. Help them see how the thing that they’re working on helps your unit, department, or organization. It’s quite possible that this project is crucial to your unit and that really, you all should be all-hands-on-deck to help them finish it. It’s also possible that the deadline needs to be adjusted so that other projects or processes can proceed as normal.
Talk them through what is working well and the issues that they are facing. Two minds (or more!) are better than one, so help them come up with a third way.. or a fourth or fifth. Enter this conversation as a partner for success, even if it’s a little painful.
Model: Mission Alignment
Of course, the problem could really just need a frank conversation about the mission of the organization, and/or the goals of your unit. After all, everything should be aligned to the mission, right? If the issue is that people are hung up on things that are not mission-critical, a quick check-in can get folks back on the same page. Granted, simply needing to have a mission check-in, especially if these are not regularly scheduled, can create a tense environment if not handled properly by the appropriate person.
If the person that you’re frustrated with is a bit of a ‘frenemy’ make sure to check yourself by finding a more neutral third party.. or just wait to hear about it from a more neutral third party. Your own bias toward this person should not be what is leading you down this road. It’s about the work, not your ego.. or theirs.
Which is my rather PC way of saying: you may want to get a boss to handle this one. Buyer beware: tattling to your boss isn’t going to help either, since it almost never remains completely anonymous. If you’ve got a boss that can always sense when the whole team, or a certain individual, needs a re-set: lucky you. Most of the time, supervisors and managers have their hands full with a plethora of tasks. This begs the question, who do I tattle, without tattling?
You don’t. You can, however, take the ‘Personal Responsibility’ tack and try one of these options:
- Set an example by relating your progress back to the mission of your organization in office-wide settings (i.e. meetings and emails or reports).
- When asked for something unexpected by a co-worker that has project tunnel vision, you can gently push back by telling them what your priorities are (and clearly linking them to the mission or goals) and then trouble-shooting some alternative plans, or suggesting another co-worker who has more time.
- Pipe up when you think a conversation needs a little more reality in it. Do not be afraid to politely poke holes. If people need another point of view, share yours. Chances are, you’re not the only one in the room with another take. Your willingness to share may encourage others to do so. Bonus points if you ask for other opinions as part of your intervention.
Eventually, you might earn yourself a reputation for being the strategic one, or (more unkindly) the task-master. As long as this is not impeding your ability to advance in your organization, I say, just accept it. Even better, own it.
Best case scenario? The boss picks up on this, praises you, and starts to look for it in the rest of the team. Another possibility? You inspire others, who also have perspective, to get into this habit as well, and it makes those without perspective start to stick out like a sore thumb. Here’s hoping you can lead the charge for a little perspective on your team. A little can go a long way.
P.S. There are plenty of ways to try having more productive conversations (i.e. don’t play the blame game, no matter how good it might feel in the moment). One good tack might be to have the ‘intent vs. impact’ conversation with those who are suffering from tunnel vision. This conversation can help to separate why folks do what they do (get lost in the weeds) and the consequences of those actions, rather than starting with blame.
P.P.S. Do you think you’re the one who has lost perspective? More on that coming soon!
According to Aubs 