Zoom In vs Zoom Out — 3 Steps to Maximizing Your Leadership Impact
Knowing when to Zoom In to the details vs Zoom Out to gain perspective is a critical skill few leverage effectively
The premise behind zooming in and zooming out is simple. There are times as a leader when you need to be close to things. Close to your product. Close to the technology. Close to your customers and employees. In these times you are in the proverbial weeds. You are literally “in the engine room” where timing, specificity, and nuance matter. This is being zoomed in.
Alternatively, there are times when you need to gain perspective, think big, and set the trajectory for the future. This is being zoomed out, and is the exact opposite of being in the engine room. Here we focus on vision, long term planning, setting strategy and synthesizing meta-themes. Both are extremely valuable and beneficial perspectives, and one is not necessarily more important than the other.
However, the challenge for leaders and managers comes in knowing HOW and WHEN to zoom in vs zoom out, as well as not getting stuck into one mode of operating for too long.
We find that many leaders tend to spend a majority of their time operating in one mode. They basically default into the mode that is most comfortable for them, or that has proven successful previously. Some leaders (even very experienced CEO’s) find themselves rolling up the sleeves and getting into the nitty gritty with their teams.
There are times when this may be useful, but more often than not, teams complain that the leader is not focused on the right things, is being too detail oriented, or isn’t willing/able to delegate effectively. Even with good intentions, leaders who default to being zoomed in are not creating environments that are conducive for their teams to maximize their full potential.
Alternatively, others leaders consistently have their head in the clouds making lofty plans. We acknowledge having vision and being able to see around the corner are key attributes of effective leadership. That said, the shadow side of being zoomed out for too long (or at the wrong time) is that leaders risk being perceived as distant, out-of-touch, or inaccessible.
Leaders that are zoomed out often have teams that suffer from poor accountability, a lack of meaningful guidance, or unrealistic expectations about what it takes to get projects delivered. Again, even with good intentions, zoomed out leaders are not creating environments that are conducive for their teams to maximize their full potential.
Leaders at all levels need to think about creating forcing functions that serve as reminders to zoom in and zoom out accordingly. High quality leadership requires both.
Here’s 3 simple steps leaders can take to optimize how they show up.
Step 1 — Know Thy Self. Understand which mode you tend to operate in most frequently. We all have default settings. Identify what yours is. Get feedback from your direct reports, peers and supervisors. Ask if how you are showing up is actually helping or hindering their ability to execute effectively. You may be surprised by the responses.
Step 2 — Understand your Audience. Understanding your audience is one of the most overlooked, and thus underutilized, leadership skills there is. People often show up in ways that they believe are beneficial, but rarely stop to identify how others actually need them to show up. Instead, start with the end in mind.
- Who is my audience?
- What is the message they need to hear from me?
- What modality or leadership style do they need me to utilize right now?
- How can I adapt to best meet their needs?
- Notice that all of these are focused completely on what the audience or situation needs…not what the individual leader needs.
Step 3 — Focus on Outcomes. Most leaders wake up and have nothing but good intentions. They work hard and want to do what’s best for their people. However, the problem is that many don’t realize how their communication style and behaviors are actually counter-productive to the impact they’re trying to make.
Leaders need to adapt to the environments, people, and situations they face. Once we understand what our default setting is (step 1), and have articulated what our audience needs from us (step 2), the next step is to focus on impact and the desired outcomes.
- What is the outcome I/we are trying to achieve?
- How should I show up in order to maximize the impact I’m trying to make?
- What meetings or situations would benefit from me being zoomed-in vs zoomed out?
By starting with the end in mind, we can then work backwards to inform how we should show up in any given moment. Focusing on making the right impact rather than just having good intentions is extremely beneficial for anyone in a leadership position. If you’d like to learn more, check out “Forget Good Intentions…Focus Instead on Making the Right Impact” which explains this concept in more detail.
Investing time and energy in better understanding how and when you need to zoom in versus zoom out is well worth it. The insights you’ll glean will directly inform your ability to better meet your audience and maximize your overall impact.
If you have any questions or need some support along the way, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We love this stuff…!
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Better Faster Further is a strategic consulting, advisory, and executive coaching firm that helps leaders, teams, and organizations maximize peak performance. We empower individuals, teams, and businesses to become the best they can be.
You can learn more about us at Better Faster Further or LinkedIn.
