Perspective is your vision—how you scan the field, from the sideline to the office. Nail it, and you’re calling plays that score; miss it, and you’re chasing ghosts. Here’s how it breaks down in the boardroom and on the turf:
Playbook Vision vs. Blind Spots: Great perspective balances the season-long goal (x% growth, business merger, etc) with today’s play (nailing quarterly targets). Like we’ve talked about in leadership, it’s grinding for the moment while keeping the big win in sight. A VP who only chases quarterly bonuses misses the Super Bowl—sustainable growth.
Empathy as Your X-Factor: See the game through your team’s eyes, your competitors’, even the stakeholders in the stands. Mom’s rule—treat others how you want to be treated—kicks in here. It builds trust and sharpens your calls.
Reality Check: The landscape is littered with execs and influencers stuck in their own bubbles, whining about market shifts or competition. Perspective means stepping into the booth, getting in the watchtower, seeing the whole field—nobody’s entitled to the win just because they showed up. Think of Simon Sinek’s, “The Infinite Game.” The goal is to stay “alive,” not just win for the day.
Priorities are your gameplan and play-calls—what you run first to move the chains. Without them, you’re a team scrambling at the line, praying for a hail Mary. In the boardroom, it’s what separates a focused exec from one drowning in emails and indecision. Here’s the deal:
Lock on the Goal Line: Like a team gunning for the title, your priorities must zero in on what drives the win—revenue, innovation, or team morale. We’ve talked about alignment; priorities turn shared goals into first downs. Micro over macro, win one play, put the ball down and prepare to win the next.
Cut the Sideline Noise: Distractions are everywhere. Prioritizing means saying “no” to shiny fads—focus on what you control, like execution and attitude, not what’s trending in the boardroom or on the social feed.
Pivot Like a Pro: Markets shift, teams bicker, new plays and players emerge. Like we’ve said about culture, stay disciplined but ready to audible when the defense (or economy) throws a curve. A rigid exec fumbles; a sharp one adapts.
Perspective is your scouting report; priorities are your gameplan and play-calls. Lose perspective, and you’re throwing deep to an empty field—no strategy, no win. Botch priorities, and your vision’s just a whiteboard dream. Together, they’re the boardroom playbook for getting it done—whether you’re leading a startup, rallying a sales team, or navigating a corporate blitz.
Where It Fumbles
Warped Play-Calling: Entitlement, like we talked about, creeps in when leaders think their view’s the only one—C level execs talking venting about “their” market share without seeing the bigger game. That’s a perspective fueled for a loss.
Scattered Game Plan: Chasing quick wins—stock bumps or corner-office ego’s—over lasting impact (like relationships or innovation) derails the team. We’ve seen cultures crash when egos and attitudes trumps substance. Again, think long game.
How to Fix It
Sharpen Your Scout: Step back daily, like a coach reviewing game tape. Ask, “What’s the score… really?” Check in with your team, like we’ve said about listening in leadership, to spot blind spots before they cost you.
Lock in Your Playbook: Name your top three plays/products—what drives the win? Write them down and stick to them. Reassess when the field shifts, but don’t chase every hot trend or podcast chatter.
Ground It in Grit and Empathy: Anchor to the values we’ve hashed out—discipline, execution, and my (hopefully yours as well) mom’s wisdom. Treat your staff like you’d want to be treated, and keep perspective and priorities from sliding into ego or chaos.
My Call from the Box
Perspective and priorities, get them right, and you’re driving downfield with a clear shot at the endzone—profit, culture, or impact. Get them wrong, and you’re stuck in that entitlement trap we covered, expecting a touchdown without running the play. It’s about scouting the field, calling the right moves, and executing like a team that’s all-in.