Experts suggest that there are two kinds of people: Those who are Big Picture Thinkers and those who are Detail Oriented Thinkers. It doesn’t take but a few seconds of data diving to find reams of advice for BPT’s on how to relate to DOT’s and how to deal with them. There must be research data somewhere that would point to this being true, but it must be way too detailed to be interesting or important. Those of us who pride ourselves on being able to see the big picture can’t be bothered with a search for data that supports the belief in our own importance. We accept this phenomenon of human nature to be just as much of a fact as if it were somehow spawned by genetics and a scientific normality like brain capacity or eye color. At some point the overriding assumption becomes that these two characteristics are mutually exclusive and cannot exist within the same person. Really? The scent of gross oversimplification reeks from this idea.
Somehow there is a natural tendency for us to embellish our accomplishments and orient them toward grandiose big ticket concepts. It is probably good advice to craft a competitive resume for a market that claims to be on the lookout for the next big picture contributor, but the BPT leaders who are guilty of spreading this rumor do so because it is expected of them. Deep inside they have a critical longing for hands-on DOT contributors that will not get in the way of the picture that is already drawn. If the assumption that both perspectives cannot exist in the same person is true, then we are making important decisions based on a dangerously flawed selection methodology. Hiring only thinkers and no doers would be a disaster waiting to happen, so why does it work anyway?
- Perspective is a matter of position and not personality. Both introverts and extraverts have equal capacity to reach goals, but each may arrive at the destination by a different path. As shown by psychological studies and evaluation techniques such as Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator testing, individuals may have developed predisposition to certain points of view, but their “type†is not an indication of ability.
- A culture of inclusivity offers challenge instead of stereotyping. So-called “creativity index†measurements have been used to prove that certain individuals are more likely to show a tendency for breakthrough creativity. Granting only certain individuals the right to the big picture is not an environment for teamwork, collaboration and communication. Everybody’s game improves when a forward thinking stimulus injects enthusiasm into the mix.
- Managers must recognize potential for development. The upside result of hiring big thinkers is that there is already an inherent desire to be elevated into a position to make creative choices that will affect the bottom line. It may take a bit of individual effort, but an evolutionary path that mentors employees through the maze of current thinking is the best way to encourage new thinking.
- Employees must be willing to get their hands dirty. A willingness to perform even the most trivial tasks will lead to a better understanding of how things work together… or not. A concept for successful execution begins with baby steps. A solid foundation of minor accomplishments along the way will insure that the results will be attained. The daily mantra must be, “It’s a dirty job but somebody has to do it!â€
When we look for the lines that mark the absolute boundary of a concept we meet a fog of uncertainty. There is seldom a situation involving the complexity of human beings where things are simply true or not true … real or not real… black or white. There are always variables that tint reality in shades of gray. Logic dictates that when we take big picture people and smoosh them together with detail people we level the playing field to the benefit of both.
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