Depth Perception
Eagles have 20/5 binocular vision, which gives them the ability to accurately judge distance, from a long distance. Binocular means two eyes. Post surgery, I can only see out of one for a while, so I am currently monocular and, therefore, have no depth perception. You don’t always appreciate what you have until it’s gone. I miss my other eye.
The reason we have depth perception is that our eyes (and the eagle’s) are separated by a distance, and yet both are able to look at the same thing. Some animals have their eyes set on opposite sides of their heads, giving them a nearly 360° field of view but low (or no) depth perception.
The overlapping images from our two eyes give our brain the data needed to triangulate the position of an object. Pretty cool. If you only have data from one eye, you cannot triangulate and, therefore, cannot determine how near or far away something is. I am comical in the morning trying to fill my water bottle. I miss it every time.
Not being able to fill a water bottle without spilling, or to put on socks without missing my toes, made me think about how often, as a leader, I have tried to function with one eye. Not literally (except for lately), but functionally—by limiting myself to a single point of view. Without a second reference point, I am more likely to “miss” what is critical and make less accurate decisions.
If I want to better judge the landscape around my business and community, I need another reference or viewpoint. In fact, accurate triangulation requires three distinct references. So, we need multiple viewpoints to have an accurate understanding of our surroundings.
As I have maneuvered through my days with only one eye, I have noticed that I do really well in familiar environments. I already have a high-resolution mental map of my house, the roads I take to work, my office, etc. I am able to move around in these environments without noticing my lack of visual capability as much. It is when I am in unfamiliar territory that I struggle.
Leaders who are not “multiocular” will tend to stay in familiar spaces. In other words, they will be less likely to explore opportunities, advance their people, or try new strategies. This may not strike them as a problem if they are comfortable where they are. The issue is that every day the landscape around you changes, and your detailed mental map is no longer accurate.
The way we become multiocular as leaders is to surround ourselves with people who “see” the world in ways we do not. These diverse points of view can provide the data necessary to differentiate the elements in our environment that can be hazardous or helpful. For those viewpoints to be available and useful, we must have the person’s trust, and we must pay attention.
People naturally have multiple modes they operate in. When in the “open” and around people they don’t know well, most people refrain from divulging their most complex opinions and thoughts. They stick to generalizations and “safe” views. (I know there are some notable exceptions to this rule…) This mode is not helpful for you as a leader.
When people feel safe and are in more intimate environments, they are able to be more transparent in voicing their opinions and observations. They will only do this with people who have consistently demonstrated that they will not judge, condemn, ridicule, or retaliate when what is shared is in opposition to the receiver’s views.
Leaders must foster trust by responding with curiosity and humility when their plans, ideas, decisions, or behavior are critiqued or questioned. We must also learn how to ask for input in ways that help people feel we are truly interested and changeable. When we create an environment where everyone’s “eye” is utilized, we create a depth perception that enables our community to accurately see the world around us—the Bison Way.