To improve, you need to step back

Published on 04 Jan 2020 in improvement

Apparition of Face and Fruit Dish on a Beach by Salvador Dalí, 1938.

Take a look at some Salvador Dalí paintings and you will notice that a change in perspective allows you to see things you wouldn’t otherwise.

Mathematician Carl Jacobi’s maxim “Invert, always invert” encompasses the same principle. Turning a problem on its head allows you to see it, and solutions in different ways.

A problem often forces you to act, but stepping back and changing your perspective to find better ways of working and achieving your goals needn’t wait until you have no other choice.

The space that there is around Christmas, particularly before the new year, provides ideal time for reflecting on what you’re doing, why and how you’re doing it.

Here are some good questions to ask yourself.

Have your goals changed? Is the work you’re doing still driving in the right direction?
On your ways of working, with a blank sheet of paper start with your underlying needs, how can these be most effectively and efficiently addressed? You might find that what you’re doing is what you end up with, but often you won’t
What behaviours do I expect from others? Am I demonstrating these? Changing our perspective by stepping back, coming at things from another angle or turning them on their head is a powerful tool of continuous improvement. Find time for it, or make time for it.

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To improve, you need to step back

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