Do you ever feel like you're speaking a different language than your team?
You deliver a message, but it just doesn't seem to land.
You might be asking yourself, "Why aren't they getting it?"
It's a common frustration I hear from leaders, especially high-achievers. In my coaching work with team leaders, I often find that they're missing a critical piece: they're forgetting the perspective of their team members.
Here's why this happens: Leaders often have access to a broader view of the company's direction. They might be involved in strategic meetings, hearing about long-term goals, and getting inspired by upper management. Their job is then to communicate this vision to their team.
However, they forget that their team wasn't in those meetings. Their team doesn’t have the same "big picture" context.
It's like the difference between a parent and a child. Think about a 10-year-old who doesn't want to go to soccer practice. We, as parents, understand the bigger picture of why that practice is important, but the 10-year-old just wants to do something else. We don't expect them to grasp the long-term implications; we use age-appropriate techniques to guide them.
Similarly, I see managers expecting their team members to have the same perspective that they do – to "see the whole company." But that's often asking too much.
We, as leaders, have the broader perspective, just like the parent has the broader perspective. Our role is to support our team members, meet them where they are, and answer their questions from their point of view.
Instead of wondering, "Why can't you see it from my angle?" we need to shift our approach. They don't need to see it from your angle.
Just like we meet children where they are to help them grow, we need to meet our team members where they are and support their development.
Let me know what comes up for you as you consider your own perspective taking!
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