Business Tips

5 Ways to Gain Perspective

When you are faced with a business challenge, it is often hard to maintain perspective, to figure out new and creative ways to approach a problem, or to make decisions that are consistent with the strategic plan. Gaining perspective is a challenge because we are often too close to the situation and get caught up in the details --- it becomes hard to distinguish the forest from the trees.

Here are 5 Tips on how to gain perspective in your business:

1. Talk to a trusted colleague-- expressing your thoughts helps you define the issues and clarify your ideas. Getting input, from a person you respect, gives you new ways to approach the problem.

2. Take a walk- walking offers a physical release, an opportunity to change your focus and it enables you to return to the issues with a fresh mind.

3. Read - articles, books and case studies can give you new insights. [Tip: Harvard Business Online (http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu) lets you download case studies for $6 each]

4. Hire a Consultant - A consultant immediately brings a new perspective to the issues because they are looking at your organization from the outside in.

5. Sleep on it - Sometimes removing yourself from a difficult issue enables you to mull things over, connect the dots, and come up with breakthrough, creative ideas.

Tip: Gaining perspective in business is a challenge. Start by distancing yourself from the issue, then looking at it with new eyes.