What Lens Are You Using?

I read a blog by Seth Godin entitled “The Lens or the Problem?”  where he talks about how individuals see problems. A banker sees a solution around money and finance; an activist sees an opportunity for social justice; a technologist sees the need for more data to analyze. His point was that not everyone solves a problem in the same way—we all see a situation through a lens we’re trained to use or to which we instinctively default.

When it comes to conflicts—which is really problem solving—this is an important aspect. We often don’t recognize or realize, especially if the situation is becoming contentious, that not everyone sees the world through the same lens.

“Why Can’t Everyone Be Like Me?” is not just a lament, but the title of a chapter in The Essential Workplace Conflict Handbook. It’s all about our diversity and differences. One of the differences we discuss is how individuals from different disciplines or professions might approach a problem.

Consider the challenges and opportunities AI is presenting to organizations today and how leaders from different functions are viewing them. The CFO might see the opportunity to streamline tasks and better yet, the opportunity to cut jobs. On the other hand, the CHRO is looking at the challenge of reskilling employees to use new tools or worse, the impact on the overall workforce if layoffs take place.

In facing these challenges and opportunities, Seth Godin suggests in another blog, “The A.R.E. Skills Matter More Than Ever,” that teams need:

 Agreeableness is the skill of having a contrary position and being pleasant about it. It’s presenting solutions to people who expected something else and still have them be pleased about the changes.

Receptivity is openness to change and better ideas and solutions. Receptivity combines curiosity, awareness and a desire for improvement.

Enthusiasm connects the two, and it’s contagious. When people are excited about change, new possibilities and opportunities, they will bring a higher degree of enthusiasm to the interaction.

Each of us sees the world differently. When presented with information, each team member notices and pays attention to different things, drawing on individual past experiences. We each come to conclusions based on our experiences, values, and individual diversity.

Godin reminds us that if the lens you’re using isn’t working, perhaps there’s a mismatch between the solution you’re used to and one that might work. Two approaches to address the mismatch:

Name your lens. If you have an instinct that you rely on when solving a problem, naming it is a helpful way to bring it on when needed, and to set aside when it’s not.

Name the other lenses. If there’s someone else who solves problems differently than you, bring their point of view to the table, especially if it doesn’t come naturally.

In The Essential Workplace Conflict Handbook, we encourage our readers to

• Address differences and misunderstandings with the commitment to learning.

• Challenge their assumptions.

• Engage in respectful curiosity.

Finally, successful problem solving requires everyone to look past their biases and stand in the other person's shoes to see the issue from their perspective.