Seeking the Overview Effect
This will relate to business…
Yuri Gagarin, a Russian cosmonaut, was the first man to orbit the earth in space in a Vostok rocket. He first identified the Overview Effect, which was later echoed by everyone who saw Earth from space.
“This change occurs when people see the world from far above and notice that it’s a place where “borders are invisible, where racial, religious and economic strife are nowhere to be seen. The overview effect makes man’s squabbles with one another seem incredibly petty and presents the planet as it truly is, one interconnected organism.”
When Alan Shepherd, an American astronaut and the second Man into space, orbited he was shocked at how disturbingly thin our atmosphere is when you see it from space, he declared “Our Earth is not infinite, it is fragile!”
The Earth, seen from space, highlights how vulnerable we are and I would say how detached we are from the reality that we live in. The reality that we live in is about job security, more money, popularity, power, daily stress, having a relationship, are my kids OK, did my team won, how bad the other guy is…OK, I did not mean to get into politics there.
Then looking at Earth from space, a beautiful globe against a backdrop of black.
Apollo 11 Earth image courtesy of NASA Johnson Space Center
In the film industry, a dolly zoom creates a “dolly effect.” A dolly zoom is an in-camera effect where you dolly towards or away from a subject while zooming in the opposite direction.
In other words, it is looking at something from one perspective, like up close, while at the same time having a backdrop of the opposite…at a distance. Like paying attention to what is currently going on in my life while keeping my overall perspective of seeing my world from outer space, no borders, no race, no religion, but that we are all part of it.
In 1967 Martin Luther King gave his Christmas sermon at his Ebenezer Baptist church. He spoke of peace. When we talk about decency and the economics of business, we are talking about the same thing. I am saying that we, you and I, we all want peace, we all want decency. It is inherent in us and like the fragility of earth, we ignore it like it just does not fit my model. Dr.King said a couple of things about this:
“Nations or individuals, we are interrelated, we are a network of mutuality tied to destiny together. If we do not learn to live together, we will die together, as fools!”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "A Christmas Sermon on Peace" Still ...
Ironically, Dr.King was assassinated four months later in Memphis, at the Lorraine Motel by a lone gunman, James Earl Ray. Except he did not act alone, he was one of the ugly faces of a bigotry that does not exist when you see Earth from space, the “dolly effect.”
I say we all aspire for decency, we certainly desire to be treated decently. You only get to decency, by being decent! You do not get there by thinking “I will get ahead and then I can afford to be decent”. You do not get to peace by dominating whoever through war so you can have peace. You only get to have decency by being decent.
A business model based on decency. Decency toward customers, suppliers, and staff garners your rewards. All you have to do is think about who you trade with, who treats you decently, as valued, and fair… who do you do business with?
When your people feel they are as valuable to you as your customers are, you will get engagement.
The overview effect is seeing our daily issues of living life, and doing business, with a perspective in mind that the world, our issues, and our concerns do not look the same from a view of the earth against the cosmos. This perspective can guide us to a higher, more fulfilling level of performance.
Cheers,
Craig
Fundamental of the Week #18: PRACTICE BLAMELESS PROBLEM-SOLVING
Focus on finding a solution, not who is at fault; apply your creativity, spirit and enthusiasm to developing solutions. Then, identify lessons learned, and use those lessons to improve processes and strengthen relationships.
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