Big-Picture Thinking vs Tunnel Vision

For this article by Jo Ilfeld, Executive Leadership Coach on big-picture thinking, the image shows a woman creating a square frame with her fingers to look through.

Sometimes you need to put your big-picture thinking aside and adopt tunnel vision in order to give your complete attention and focus to a project and be productive. But what is the price you pay for that?

What happens when your vision becomes so focused that you stop paying attention to what’s happening just on the other side?

Is your intense focus making you blind to the burnout that it’s causing other team members?

Or is it stopping you from communicating with other cross-functional teams that your team will need to support this project when it’s complete?

These are common things that I see when working with clients. Yes, you need to focus. But you also need to make intentional time on your schedule for big-picture thinking and lift your head up and look around.

Have you found yourself becoming so focused on a project deliverable or goal that you lost sight of the big picture? If so, watch this video.

Want more big-picture perspective and get that 30,000 feet view of the lay of the land? Read more here.

Jo Ilfeld, PhD

An executive leadership coach, Jo helps C-suite leaders, executives, and high-potential managers develop the flexibility, skill, and frame of mind to meet the challenges of the next five, ten, twenty years…. and beyond. She works with individuals, teams and organizations on four core areas of leadership development. Check out Jo's bio page for more information.

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