Sharpen Your Leadership Perception Before You Intervene
A conductor’s lesson in seeing the whole picture
“The problem you think you’re solving is rarely the real problem. Leaders who pause to ask what they’re missing save time, strengthen trust, and avoid fixing the wrong thing.”
A string section that wouldn’t blend taught me something I’ve carried ever since: leadership perception is a skill, not a gift.
I was standing in front of an ensemble, trying to fix what sounded like a technical problem. I adjusted bowing, articulation, dynamics—but the fragmented sound persisted. It wasn’t until I noticed the principal violist sitting apart from the group, and asked a simple question about how the section was doing, that the real issue surfaced. There had been a scheduling conflict. A unilateral decision. Resentment that was palpable—and audible. Once we acknowledged the tension, the blend returned within minutes. The music hadn’t changed. The relationships had.
This pattern repeats in boardrooms, project teams, and family dinners. The problem you think you’re solving is rarely the real problem. Leaders who sharpen their leadership perception before they intervene avoid wasting energy on symptoms while the root cause festers untouched.
Three diagnostic questions can help you see what’s actually happening:
What am I seeing that confirms what I already believe? Confirmation bias leads us to notice evidence that supports our existing story while filtering out everything else. Before you act, ask what story you’ve already decided the situation is about.
What am I assuming is true that might not be? Assumptions are shortcuts that become traps when we stop testing them. Identify yours and ask: What if the opposite were true?
What would someone outside this situation notice first? Proximity distorts perception. Fresh eyes—someone who isn’t emotionally invested or buried in the details—often spot what you’ve stopped seeing.
The leaders who see clearly aren’t necessarily smarter or more experienced. They’ve learned to slow down, question their assumptions, and widen their field of vision before they act. That pause saves time, strengthens trust, and keeps you from solving the wrong problem while the real one festers unseen.
Before you fix anything this week, pause and ask: What am I missing?