I echo Rosabeth’s views regarding the importance of zooming in and out, the importance of perspective and how leaders view the world. I extrapolate this to how leaders run their companies! I do however think we need to widen the lens, otherwise, we may be zooming in and out of a perspective that is too narrow. Let’s widen our lens and zoom in and out to be able to lead in a way that people want to follow and are inspired! I reviewed Rosabeth’s HBR article below. As always would love to hear your thoughts!

In “Zoom In, Zoom Out” (Harvard Business Review, Winter 2013), Rosabeth Moss Kanter discusses the two major lenses through which leaders view the world: a close-up look at details (zooming in) and a broader view of the big picture (zooming out). Each viewpoint has its pros and cons, and being stuck on either zoom setting can have damaging consequences. Therefore, effective leaders must be able to flexibly zoom in on the immediate situation and zoom out to structural solutions. The key here is that we need multiple perspectives available to us in order to get a complete picture.

Zooming in: bringing the details into close-up focus

Useful in relationship-intensive settings, where human talent is key and/or you have to be an expert on a particular problem, product, customer, etc.

Signs of being too zoomed in:

• Lack of context.Any good-looking opportunity that comes along looks compelling, but lacks context. Miss important big-picture considerations.
  • § Counteract by focusing on the larger context and asking, “what matters most?”
• Short-term.Focus on immediate benefits rather than long-term implications. Look for quick fixes to problems rather than seeking underlying causes or long-term solutions.
  • § Counteract by asking, “does this fit with the larger goal or target of the company? What other opportunities might be out there?”
• Idiosyncratic. Treat every situation as unique, relying on ad hoc decisions and exceptions rather than policies. Policies become based on internal politics and private deals.
  • § Counteract by considering whether the situation will recur, and how to frame a policy around it or systematize the current approach.
• Personal. Decisions are based on personal expertise, instinct, etc., rather than broader goals. Leaders take things personally and focus on the “me” angle first.
  • § Counteract by considering the larger purpose being served and the stakes for others.

Zooming out: viewing the big picture from far out

-Useful in planning several moves ahead, situating events in context, and focusing on general patterns and principles. Critical for big-picture decision-making.

– Signs of being too far out:

• Disconnected. Dismiss deviations from theories and models as insignificant. Miss emerging threats and opportunities, and fail to recognize the value of competing theories in explaining new developments.
  • § Counteract by considering whether the deviation challenges the model, how it can be understood, and whether the model needs to be adapted.
• Structural over situational. Avoid dealing with specific problems and prefer to focus on general theory.
  • § Counteract by considering what actions are suggested by current theory.
• Static and over-generalized. Fit everything into a few broad categories. Forget that the big picture is flexible and may evolve as circumstances change. From far out, the picture can appear static and unchanging, which it most definitely is not!
  • Counteract by asking, “which details matter? How might the situation change in ways we haven’t anticipated?”
• Change-resistant. Adhere strictly to established path and become inflexible. Hard to change course, because lengthy analysis or studies are needed before taking action.
  • § Counteract by considering whether sufficient information is available to proceed, the costs of delay, and whether side routes and shortcuts are available.

Neither perspective alone is sufficient

– Learning requires self-reflection, which in turn demands taking a step back and viewing one’s actions in context. Zooming out fosters self-awareness, whereas zooming in can reinforce self-obsession.

– Some dangers are common to both perspectives, such as missing emerging threats and opportunities. Thus, we need to be able to move in between the two extremes.

– Problems arise no matter which end of the scale we get stuck at, when we are unable to gain a different perspective. Not about choosing one viewpoint over the other, but learning to move dynamically across multiple perspectives. Agility is key!

– By zooming, we can deal with developments before they turn into crises. We can pursue promising new opportunities, while simultaneously working within a framework that builds sustainable solutions in the long-term.

What to you think!?

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