The Heifetz and Linsky’s balcony

You are in the middle of a dance floor, you only focus on your moves and the three other people who surround you. It is dark and the music is very loud. Now, you go to a balcony to get some fresh air where it is calm and more relaxing. As you slightly turn to observe people dancing inside, you notice the dance floor seems bigger, more crowded, and you get to discern more people by looking at the bigger picture from that balcony. You also begin to start looking at your friend who is dancing in the corner, the DJ, the people lining up at the bar and then the three people you were dancing with before. They all surprisingly seem smaller.

Now you may wonder what message I am trying to convey through this example? This balcony example was given by the authors Ronald A. Heifetz and Marty Linsky in their book “Leadership on the Line” which I highly recommend. This balcony example epitomizes the importance of looking at the bigger picture in any situation, whether it is during a group meeting, conflict, or any other situation. This example encourages you to become more of an observer than a participant because it allows you to take yourself out of the crowd to get a clearer view and a different perspective of the situation. I chose to tackle this subject today because as humans we generally tend to act more than think. We usually focus on our own perspective, avoid stepping out of our comfort zones, and analyze each individual’s perspective from a bigger picture, which can lead to major consequences. The consequences include misperceiving the situation, making the wrong diagnosis, and taking misguided decisions about how to act.

Therefore, my message for you today is: Go to the dance floor, show your moves, listen to the loud music, but from time to time, step out of the crowd and find the nearest balcony to experience the different perspective and the better view.

Written By: Hajar Harda | IQ Magazine X Calabash Chronicles