Leaders, Know Your Lens

We all have a primary lens:

Designer lens: You want to see the system designed right; simple but not too simple. You want the experience to feel right. Careful, let your team design, too.

Developer lens: You want to see the system running efficiently; innovative with a stack you can hack. You want the output to be solid. Careful, let your team develop, too.

Operator lens: You want to see that everything’s okay at the end of the month; safe, but not too safe. You want to see things adding up and in the black. Careful, let your team operate, too.

Sales lens. You want to see the system closing more effectively; fast but not too pushy. You want to hear the cash register ringing. Careful, trust your team’s judgement, too.

There are many lenses to see our work through. Knowing your primary lens will often reveal how you could be accelerating with the handbrake on.

What’s yours?