The first time the penny dropped for me, I mean really dropped so hard that I had no other alternative but to bring it into sharp focus and build clarity around it, was when I found myself in a conflict that spanned global borders. The more I tried to help them understand, the clearer it became that the kingpin on the other side and his entourage were looking through a lens that did not fit my reality. We were looking through different lenses, and I did not stand a chance, primarily because my lens was more than disregarded – it simply did not exist. I did not have the right to express, never mind live in a different reality. And their reality shaped all assumptions against which everything was tested. My failing was to think that my reality was apparent and could be seen as clearly as I saw it.
The truth is that the lenses we look through have built-in assumptions, most of which sit at a subconscious level and often quietly, and imperceptibly, underlie many leadership decisions. This fact rarely gets spoken out loud. But it shapes conversations, strategies, and outcomes every single day. Most of us are oblivious to the illusion of objectivity we live with. We believe that “This is the right way to see this.” Not a way. The way.
And that is where the risk begins. Most leaders believe they are objective. After all, they analyse, weigh evidence, and apply experience and wisdom for a living. Thinking about how our own minds work, the lenses we are looking through, and the subconscious worldviews and biases that may influence our decisions is not something that comes naturally to us. It is very difficult for us to process the inconvenient truth in the moment: We are not seeing the full reality. That we are seeing through a lens that provides a particular, narrow view of reality.
Our worldviews are shaped by personality, experience, and, to a large degree, conditioning. It is not neutral; it is constructed. We are all interpreting the world through a story we once needed, but no longer question. For example, a child growing up fixated on the belief that the world is a dog-eats-dog place may not see the need for vulnerability and softness in decision-making. And in the process, cause harm without consideration.
A radical but necessary truth that all of us must face is that every single one of us is wrong about many things, just in different ways. Our perspectives are partial, filtered, and incomplete. Primarily because we are so invested in our reality that we do not stop to actively look for the other realities around us, so that we can understand them, and learn from them. Leadership maturity lies in recognising that.
The risk is a lack of perspective. The risk is mistaking it for truth. This shows up when:
- Alternative views are dismissed too quickly.
- Decisions are made from certainty rather than curiosity.
- Teams operate from unseen, competing assumptions.
In governance spaces, this can distort decision-making in ways that are difficult to detect—but deeply impactful. When we understand this, we shift from certainty to conscious leadership. Mature leadership is not about becoming more certain. It is about becoming more aware. It asks questions like:
- What am I not seeing?
- What assumptions am I making?
- Who sees this differently—and why?
I recognise that in asking these questions of ourselves in a world where certitude is valued, we may come across as not being sure-footed. It takes courage to say that I do not know whether I am seeing the full picture, that I want to hear the voices of others who may disagree with me before I take a stand. But when we are brave enough to look vulnerable and seek deeper understanding, we may make better decisions and minimise negative impacts on those in our care, the broader society, as well as the earth.
A Practice for Leaders
Before your next key decision, pause:
- What feels unquestionably true to me?
- Where might this be limited?
- What perspective is missing?
Explore This Work Further
For leaders ready to move beyond insight and into deep, embodied self-leadership, this work forms part of a broader coaching and development journey. Brave Inflexions specialises in walking with leaders through inflection points where courage is needed.
