The importance of gaining different perspectives - Dandelion Training & Development (2024)

By Nicky Edwards / December 13, 2021

Life can be busy, and often, when I work with clients, they can find that it’s a struggle to keep things in perspective. To see the good which sits alongside the bad, or the greys amongst the black and white.

When we are stressed, or experience stress for a significant period of time, it can affect our perspective, creating a negative bias. Therefore, we focus more heavily on the worst case scenario or the negative view point of a situation. Without meaning to, we zoom into all the things that do not work out, missing some of the wonderful things happening around us. This can leave us feeling that everything is wrong, and leave us blinkered to the balance.

Perspective helps us to understand situations from other positions, to consider other beliefs, experiences and view points. This gives us a better understanding and greater empathy. It reduces bias, judgement and reduces conflict.

How does perspective help?

Taking time to keep things in perspective allows us to:

  • Develop a better understanding of things
  • See a problem or challenge from different angles to develop a better knowledge
  • To evaluate the importance of something
  • To keep worries or thoughts in perspective
  • Let go of judgement and focus on facts
  • Keep things in a more balanced viewpoint
  • See the strengths and weaknesses / good and bad / positive and negative
  • Allows us to react rationally and considerately rather than impulsively
  • Supports us to develop a more accurate idea of where things sit
  • Be objective and unbiased

What are the benefits?

When we develop a clearer perspective of something it allows us to:

  • Avoid judgement
  • Reduce stress
  • Respond constructively not impulsively
  • Develop deeper empathy
  • Gain greater clarity
  • Personal growth
  • Learning opportunities

The importance of gaining different perspectives - Dandelion Training & Development (1)

Growing our perspective

An activity that we can use to help balance our perspectives is the ‘5 Why’s method’

You take a simple to moderate problem you are struggling with and ask ‘why’

For instance:

  1. Problem:
  2. Why is it happening?
  3. Whyis that?
  4. Whyis that?
  5. Why is that?
  6. Whyis that?

Taking the time to sit with a piece of paper and consider each question carefully allows us to look at each part from different perspectives.

With time and practice, we can learn to take a deep breath and find a new viewpoint.

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The importance of gaining different perspectives - Dandelion Training & Development (2024)

FAQs

What is the importance of learning different perspective? ›

Learning from different perspectives and viewpoints is important because it enables us to gain knowledge and insight that we may not have had from our own perspective. By considering different perspectives, we are able to better understand a situation and form more comprehensive and balanced opinions.

Why is it important to teach multiple perspectives? ›

Perhaps the most immediate benefit for differing perspectives in the classroom is that your discussions will be well-rounded. This lends room to spirited debates and other valuable conversations that teach young minds how to express their opinions, debate respectfully, and expand their range of understanding.

Why is hearing different perspectives important? ›

Embracing different perspectives also gives people opportunities to counteract their biases. It exposes individuals to new information that can challenge their preconceived opinions and notions. This can help them recognize their biases and reconsider their current ways of thinking about groups of people and ideas.

Why it is important to consider different perspectives when asking questions? ›

By understanding and considering different perspectives, we can develop empathy, enhance communication, and build stronger relationships. Practice active listening, ask open-ended questions, engage in reflective thinking, and explore examples of perspective taking in various contexts.

What does it mean to gain perspective? ›

To gain perspective means you know how to change the meaning of a circ*mstance. Your new perspective changes the meaning of the event, which changes the feelings you have in response, which changes what actions you take.

What does it mean to see things from a different perspective? ›

Perspective-taking is the act of perceiving a situation or understanding a concept from an alternative point of view, such as that of another individual. A vast amount of scientific literature suggests that perspective-taking is crucial to human development and that it may lead to a variety of beneficial outcomes.

Why is it important to try to understand multiple perspectives and sides to any topic? ›

It is important to look at topics from multiple perspectives so that we are able to see the whole picture, which better enables us to find the root cause of the problem and discover a solution that takes the needs and feelings of everyone involved into consideration.

How do you respect different perspectives? ›

The key elements of this process are:
  • Being able to let go of our own views and put them to one side.
  • Being able to control our ego and the need to win an argument.
  • Developing empathic listening skills.
  • Developing curiosity about others and their views.
  • Being humble and knowing that our view is flawed and incomplete.

What are the different perspectives examples? ›

Examples of perspective are first-person, second-person, third-person objective, third-person omniscient, and third-person limited. A narrator's perspective may also be classified as naïve or unreliable.

How do you encourage different points of view? ›

🔍 How to encourage diverse perspectives
  1. Hire for culture adds, not only culture fits ➕ ...
  2. Encourage employees to share their thoughts in their own way 🤔 ...
  3. Create an environment where differences are celebrated 🎉 ...
  4. Train leaders to listen👂 ...
  5. Show employees that speaking up is worthwhile 🙋 ...
  6. Don't suppress self-expression 📣

What is the purpose of perspective? ›

Perspective in art usually refers to the representation of three-dimensional objects or spaces in two dimensional artworks. Artists use perspective techniques to create a realistic impression of depth, 'play with' perspective to present dramatic or disorientating images.

How does perspective influence us? ›

Our perspective acts as a lens through which we interpret and make sense of the world. It influences our thoughts, shaping the way we perceive and understand information. Our perspective also affects our emotions, as it determines how we react and respond to various situations.

What is multiple perspective in teaching and learning? ›

Multiple-perspective books, which intentionally emphasize different viewpoints, help students develop critical thinking skills and learn how to see beyond their own lives to the world outside.

Why is it important to have different perspectives in psychology? ›

The different perspectives in modern psychology give researchers and students tools to approach problems and answer questions. They also guide psychologists in finding new ways to explain and predict human behavior. This exploration and deeper understanding can even lead to the development of new treatment approaches.

What from your perspective is the most important function of education? ›

Perhaps the most important function of education is socialization. If children are to learn the norms, values, and skills they need to function in society, then education is a primary vehicle for such learning.

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