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PerspectivesOnPerception

Thought I�d scribble a few words about my thought processes during the past year re �perception� and 'perspective'�

(A lot of the below is undoubtedly �been there done that� stuff for cognitive psychology and organizational development oriented folks�what�s below is my particular learning process and perceptions about perception�)

Probably the biggest gain for me from last year�s AYE conference (2003) was a deeper understanding of the pervasive impact of perception. I always knew it was an important consideration in all interactions � at work and at home. But I don�t think I�d previously put enough focus on it at work.

At one point during the year my manager was telling me about something that I needed to improve on, and asked me if I agreed with it. I didn�t agree with it, but I thought about it a few seconds, then replied that �Whether or not it�s true, if that�s the perception of me then it�s important and I need to take a look at it.� That was a big improvement over my usual more combative type of reaction. And I did take a look at it.

Anyway, throughout the year I examined a lot of work-related issues and organizational problems from the point of view of perceptions. I now tend to think of most issues as perceptual issues/differences. And I also tend to view solutions in terms of �how can perceptions be changed� rather than �how can behavior be changed�.

I�ve also come to question my own perceptions a lot more. Sometimes I carry it to excess and think that everything is perception and nothing is real � �I wouldn�t have seen it if I hadn�t believed it with my own mind�. And that all perceptions are valid � there is no �correct� perception since every person views things through the lens of their own life and experience, which is of course different than everyone else�s.

Interestingly enough, I sort of �knew� all this stuff from various weekend �relationship-building� workshops and readings on marriage from several years ago. (As I got older I wised up and decided that putting a lot of work into improving relationship skills should be very high on life�s priority list.) I learned that my wife and I could not easily change our own individual behavior or the other person�s behavior without trying new perspectives or changing existing perceptions. And I mean �learned� it in my bones, not as an academic exercise. And learning how to create perceptual shifts was very interesting and very effective. (I�m still learning how to create such shifts and always will be�)

So how can this help me in my work in software organizations and on software projects?
Well the things that work with one person at home don�t necessarily work when scaled up to group or organization level. Sometimes they do, but often they�re just not appropriate or feasible. So I�ve been trying to learn *scalable* methods of creating perceptual shifts. (Some people are naturally good at this, but as a group it doesn�t seem like techies typically are, and I am definitely not born to it�).

It all gets very fascinating. And then a deliverable deadline approaches�

-RickHower 2004.10.08

Since January, I've been "the boss" for a group of six people. There have been maybe a dozen occasions when they complained to me that they had to explain something to a new manager several layers up. Instead of putting things in terms of perception I put them in terms of understanding.

I tell them, "You understand what you are doing; I understand what you are doing. Louis (the new senior manager), however, doesn't understand what you are doing. Once you explain it to him, he'll understand and we'll all move forward."

It exasperates some people - like me - to explain something one more time to one more person. That, however, is perception and understanding. No one is born knowing what I am doing.

DwaynePhillips 8 October 2004

I too get expasperated explaining things twice. I used to think the other person wasn't paying attention.

It turns out often I was the one not paying attention. People have favorite ways to gather information; visually, aurally, and kinesthetically. Someone "hearing" may not "see" things the way I do. DonGray 2004.10.11

I've added a page with some PerspectiveStories (as illustrations of situations where differing perspectives, or changing perspectives, come into play). -- RickHower 2004.10.18