Perspective matters. How we understand and talk about something, anything depends on the perspective we are experiencing or looking at it.
Project management.
For some of us, we think about achieving change, impact, or outcomes, so we look for trends over time and we reflect backwards at agreed points in the future. Did we achieve a change in the communities with whom we are working?
For others, we think about compliance to the regulators, the donors. Are we following the legal and financial stipulations outlined in the contract and the applicable internal and external policies?
For others, we think about operational efficiencies. Are we on schedule in our day to day operations? Are we meeting the project milestones within our cost and time projections? What do we need to adjust to keep on track?
Others think differently still.
Depending on our perspective, we emphasis and look for different things; we ask different questions. The funny thing about perspective is that they all matter and provide different insights into the whole. When we over-emphasise one, our teams, organisations, projects become skewed and lose out. Rigidity and zealots are not found in only one domain; each perspective can bring its own rigidity and create its own zealots.
Being clear on the perspective you (individually and as a team) are bringing or looking through helps you (and others) see what is missing or if one perspective is being over-emphasised.
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