Did you know that we view and experience our own reality through a series of filters? These mind filters help us both from an input perspective (taking in information) and an output one (releasing information). We use them all the time, whether we realise it or not: these are critical to enable our brain to process the considerable amount of information we face in our daily lives.
By understanding how your brain works, and specifically today how this filter works and how you personally handle it, you will be able to fully leverage it, improve so many things in your life, career, and business, and be a better leader. This is what is exciting about neuro-leadership, so let’s discuss this specific brain filter!
Introducing the ‘BIG Picture’ / ‘Small Details’ filter…
This filter is a particularly important one in your career and business, as it helps you understand how you best operate, and handle information. It does this by assessing how you prefer to receive and digest information, and how you prefer to release and communicate information.
Understanding the filter…
While you already use it, and this every single day, you may not be consciously aware of your own filter. The way this filter works is very simple: people either tend to be ‘BIG Picture’, focusing on the wider view of any situation, OR ‘Small Details’, comfortably focusing on the small details of any situation.
By increasing your understanding of how your brain works, you are able to operate at your best mindfully. Click to tweet!
Identifying your filter…
Ok, I’m sure you are wondering what side you naturally find most comfortable, right? Finding out is simple, and you probably already have an idea. Let’s identify it for sure right now.
Think of a couple of events, when you gave a presentation, or answered someone’s question, or briefed someone about a new project… Got them? Now, which one of the following do you relate to most, A or B?
A – you had a general outcome for the presentation, drafted a quick agenda to refer to during your presentation, replied to the question in general term, summarised the overall framework, presented a broad overview of the new project by giving the overall parameters and outlining the big project phases, and ensured your audience knew about the end goal.
B – you thoroughly prepared for the presentation, had several note cards filled with your scripted text, replied to the question in details, went to great lengths to explain everything, prepared a full report detailing all of the ins and outs of the new project, had a series of FAQs to cover all possible questions, and ensured your audience had all facts and understood the logical project sequence.
If you answered A, you handle that specific filter by being ‘BIG Picture’ orientated.
If you answered B, you handle that specific filter by being ‘Small Details’ orientated.
Optimising your filter…
So, you’ve discovered or are more aware of this filter, understand how it works, and have identified how you personally handle it. Now, it is time to discuss ways to optimise it both for yourself and others. The more you optimise it, the more you maximise your success.
This is how fascinating understanding our mind is how not only is this always beneficial for yourself, but it will also always ripple out with others. It impacts your own leadership, and your leadership with others.
By gaining further understanding of the filter itself, you’ve taken a major step in optimising it. The more awareness you obtain, the best you understand how your mind works, how you operate, and how you lead your life, career, and business in the direction of your dreams and aspirations.
With yourself
Now that you understand how you personally handle your filter, you are better placed to know how you prefer to receive and release information – it is an outstanding asset in any situation. Think about how this can impact your life. Whether at home or at work, you can utilise this information to operate at your best, so that you clearly communicate and request the level of information you need, thus increasing your performance and productivity.
With others
Your new understanding of this filter gives you an incredible asset when it comes to your interactions with others. Remember, and this is key: your way of handling the filter is not necessarily the way the person you are talking to handles it. Think about how this can impact your life. Whether at home or at work, you can utilise this information to operate at your best, so that you clearly communicate, and use the level of information that the person whom you are talking to needs, thus boosting your communications skills. Yes, you do have your preferred way of handling it AND you can adapt & swiftly move from one filter to the other, thus making the most of any situation.
I believe that the greatest leaders – whether you are leading your life, or your career, or your business, are the greatest communicators.
The more you pay attention to the way you personally handle this filter AND to the way this filter is handled by the people around you, and adapt and match it, from situation to situation, from people to people (family, friends, colleagues, employees, clients, leads…) the better your communication will be as you move with ease from ‘BIG Picture’ to ‘Small Details’ and from ‘Small Details’ to ‘BIG Picture’.
By fully leveraging this brain insight, you will directly boost your leadership, by improving your daily activities, from performance and productivity, to communication and strategic thinking. Balancing your own way of handling this filter with the awareness of the other side will help you be a tremendous leader.
What do you think? I’d love to hear from you! How has / will this brain insight help you personally? And, how will it help you with others around you?
Please leave a comment and join the below conversation!
Until next time 
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To your Mountain Moving Mindset,
Frederique
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Some of the comments received via Twitter:
@IrishSmiley Fantastic post… Really makes alot of sense too.. Thanks #MasteringTheElmanInduction
— thedavelmaninduction (@thedavelmanindu) April 23, 2014
Understand This One Brain Filter Today And Be A Better Leader Tomorrow http://t.co/O2vimNwBkE via @IrishSmiley Very helpful insight!
— mfbrodie (@mfbrodie) April 23, 2014
@IrishSmileyI’m all about details… is that bad? I guess I now relate to my boss’ point of view when talking about the big picture!
— Nadia alshahrani (@abdullah_nadia) April 27, 2014
