Why a fresh perspective makes you a better leader
When was the last time you saw your business the way a customer, a new hire, or an outsider might see it?
Perspective is easy to lose when you’re deep in the day-to-day. As a leader, you’re often so close to the detail that it’s tough to step back and notice the bigger picture.
It’s like staring at a crossword for half an hour, walking away, and spotting the answer instantly when you return. No leader can see everything all the time and that’s why perspective matters.
Fresh eyes don’t replace your judgement. They sharpen it. They help you see your organisation not just as it is, but as it could be.
A small shift that changed our perspective
At Sprout People, we were reminded this week how powerful a fresh viewpoint can be.
We invited our newest team member, Gareth, to join one of our Growing Leaders workshops (part of a six-month leadership development programme designed to help leaders strengthen their capability and confidence).
At the end of the session, we asked for his feedback. His suggestion was simple:
The leaders really seem to relate to DiSC, that is awesome and the impact would really multiply if they also knew the communication styles of other leaders in the business and their direct reports. Why not email them afterwards and ask if they’d like to run this DiSC assessment with their teams?
Obvious. Brilliant. And somehow, never considered. That’s the power of new - new people, new thinking, new perspective.
When you’re immersed in the work, it’s easy to miss the opportunities sitting right in front of you.
How leaders can bring in fresh perspectives
Great leaders don’t just welcome fresh thinking, they create the conditions for it. Here are five practical ways to do that in your business:
Bring in someone external. A coach, consultant, or advisor offers objectivity. They’re not influenced by your internal politics or assumptions, and that allows them to surface insights you’ve learned to live with.
Look inside the business, outside your bubble. Invite people from other teams into the conversation. An analyst might pick up risks you’ve overlooked or someone on the tools might spot a gap in a strategy that looks airtight on paper.
Step away for a day. Distance creates clarity. Whether it’s an offsite, a long walk, or simply working from a different space, changing your environment helps you see your challenges in a new light.
Test your own thinking. Ask: What if I’m wrong? What if the opposite were true? This is often uncomfortable, but invaluable. Frameworks like Six Thinking Hats can help you explore ideas from different lenses before locking in decisions.
Build a culture where people can be honest. The best insights don’t always come from outside. When your people feel safe to question assumptions, you’ll uncover blind spots early and make better calls, faster.
Perspective is a leadership habit
Seeing differently isn’t a one-off exercise - it’s a discipline.
The most effective leaders step back regularly, invite diverse input, and stay open to being challenged. That’s how innovation happens, and how businesses keep growing through people. So ask yourself: Where can I pause, zoom out, or invite in new voices this week? Because sometimes, the insight that changes everything isn’t new, it’s just newly seen.
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