The first casualty of a crisis is perspective.
When we freak out, we zoom in. Once we’re zoomed in, we can’t see anything except what’s right in front of our noses.
The first step out of a crisis is a step back. We step back to regain perspective.
When we calm down, we zoom out. Once we’re zoomed out we can assess more of the situation. We can think on larger scales – not just inch by inch and moment by moment, but mile by mile and with the context of history.
A crisis has a way of speeding everything up and sucking everyone in. If we can be the ones to slow things down and help people to take a broader perspective, we can be the ones to lead on the path forward.
If the first casualty of a crisis is perspective, the greatest opportunity is to figure out a way to bring perspective back into the conversation. Just how tricky it is to help people zoom back out is the evidence for why it’s so valuable.
