Laser-Focus + Soft-Focus = Mission Accomplished
I’m sitting here at the start of my first official summer work-week. In many ways, it’s no different from any other work-week — client calls, meetings, writing, speaking, networking — these are the things in my calendar. There’s an energetic difference, however; a difference that arises from the fact that my entire family is home (I work from home and usually have the space to myself), heightening my awareness of the fact that it is summer and there is a world of sunshine to be enjoyed just outside my patio doors. Essentially, if I didn’t keep my eye on the ball, it would be really easy to get distracted and lose my focus.
As I sit here, contemplating the week — and weeks — ahead, I’m finding the idea of “focus” an interesting one. It strikes me as a bit paradoxical, especially in the work context. I’m having a sense that achieving success or accomplishing anything requires that I simultaneously maintain laser focus AND hold a big picture. There’s a way that I’ve got to keep my eye on the ball, for sure, and at the same time allow my eyes to be aware of more than the ball. Why? Because if my eyes are on the ball and the ball alone, I may actually miss vital details that could enhance my ability to achieve whatever it is I’m striving for.
As a leader, holding the vision is essential. Focus on the vision is imperative. Moving past distractions is key, in order to get to where I’m going and bring my leadership vision to life. That being said, I cannot allow my focus to diminish my awareness of the rest of the picture. In fact, there’s a way that holding a soft focus on the periphery while simultaneously holding a sharp focus on the object of my intentions makes that object even clearer. I’m thinking of a photographic effect here, where the primary subject is crystal clear, and the surrounding details are all fuzzy — and yet, the softer focus of the surrounding details doesn’t actually distract you from the primary subject — instead it almost enhances it. That’s the power of holding the whole picture — you can be aware of it all, but with intent. The awareness of the whole doesn’t distract you from your objective; instead it allows you to hold it with more deliberate attention.
Bottom-line: if there’s something you’re wanting to accomplish or achieve, you’ve absolutely got to stay focused. And, it’s important that you’re not so focused that you miss the rest of the picture. As a leader, you’ve got to hold it all — some of it lightly, some of it sharply, and all of it completely. That’s the way that your objective will actually be achieved.