What Pair of Sunglasses do you Wear?
Isn’t it interesting how different people look at the same thing and have very different perspectives? At one point in my career, I was a consultant. As part of my offerings, I was trained in life coaching to better serve clients. Kind of a business affects personal and personal affects business approach. As part of this training, I too had a life coach. My coach was a woman who was perhaps in her 60’s, had much wisdom and a strong track record in business.
She asked me a question, “What do you think about this?” I gave her a response. She then asked me to give another perspective that could work, and then a third. She went on to explain to me that I just gave three reasonable perspectives about the same topic.
She explained to me in her special way, “Here’s the thing Joe, every day we wake up as human beings, we put on a pair of sunglasses we see the world with. Each person’s pair of sunglasses is made up of their gender, family order, where they went to school, what kind of trauma they have had, and thousands of other things. Here’s the kicker, each and every person believes their pair of sunglasses is the right pair.”
This dialogue and lesson affected me. When I observe a tourism colleague approach a topic from a very different perspective, I think about what has made up their pair of sunglasses to have them take that perspective.
When I see someone who perhaps lives their life in a very different manner, again, I wonder about their pair of sunglasses. It helps me to be more understanding to things I don’t understand or maybe never experienced in my life.
How can we use the sunglasses example of perspectives to work better with others or to have more meaningful relationships? How can this example help us to better understand and perhaps feel better about people or things we don’t understand?
Thank you for being associated with the MACVB and I look forward to seeing many of you through my pair of sunglasses at the Annual Meeting October 2-3 in St. Louis Park!
-Joe Henry, 2018 Board Chair
Website Design and Development by W.A. Fisher Interactive. Report Problems