I’m writing this from Patagonia, where even the most familiar things can feel refreshingly different. One evening, I noticed that the half-moon was “backwards” compared to how I see it in Minneapolis. And water swirls down drains in the opposite direction here.
I was struck by how much our perspective shapes what we see. When I pointed these differences out to our Chilean waiter, he was surprised. He hadn’t thought about it before.
But that’s the thing about perspective. We often take our view for granted until someone points out a different one.
This got me thinking about leadership. As business leaders, how often do we rely on our own experiences or instincts to solve problems?
It’s natural, but it can also limit us. What happens if we intentionally bring in other perspectives—whether from colleagues, customers, or partners?
For example, I recently worked with a manufacturing company facing challenges with dealer performance. Their initial instinct was to overhaul their incentive structure.
But by taking a collaborative approach and involving the dealers in the problem-solving process, they uncovered deeper issues—like inadequate training and misaligned messaging from marketing.
By asking better questions of the dealers, we were able to uncover hidden solutions.
Addressing those gaps led to measurable improvements in dealer engagement and sales without the costly incentive redesign.
Much like how water flows differently depending on the hemisphere, the same business forces—sales, customer needs, market conditions—can lead to entirely different outcomes when viewed from a new angle.
As leaders, we unlock potential when we step out of our own “hemisphere” and embrace collaboration.
So, what challenges are swirling in your business? And who can help you see them through a new lens?
Sometimes, the most powerful solutions come from looking at the moon—and the problem—from a different perspective.