My family includes two Australian shepherds, and if you know anything about the breed, you know they thrive on being busy and having a job to do. To keep them active, we have incorporated a two-mile walk into our morning routine. With our busy schedules, my husband and I take turns walking the dogs, but we both go to the same park with many trails and have taken to hiking it separately. Afterward, we often find ourselves discussing the paths we took, the sights we saw, and how it feels like we have explored the entire area. But here is the thing—we rarely agree on what we have seen along the way.

Despite both of us having hiked all the trails, we have noticed that we never seem to recognize the same landmarks. How is it possible that we have both covered the same ground, yet our experiences are so different? It was not until a recent hike, when a family with their dogs made us alter our usual routes, that I had an “aha” moment.

Typically, I take a trail that veers off to the right, starting in the woods and ending in an open field. My husband, on the other hand, starts in the field and ends in the woods. This time, I decided to take his route and realized that we had been talking about the same locations all along—we had just been approaching them from opposite directions. Our differing starting points created perspectives that were essentially mirror images, and this led us to miss out on what the other person had seen.

This experience made me reflect on how often this happens in the workplace. It is not uncommon for employees and managers to struggle with understanding each other’s perspectives, even though they are navigating the same organizational terrain. We think we know the landscape because we are both in the same workspace, but the route we take—the way we approach our work—can drastically change how we perceive it. Sometimes, the path you take can literally block out landmarks that someone else sees clearly from their own vantage point.

This realization ties into a recent conversation I had with a client who owns a $150 million company and is part of the second generation in the family business. When I mentioned that her employees might see her as a celebrity, she responded, “Yes, but I am just me.” This sentiment struck a chord because it reminded me of similar discussions I have had with my local friend who owns a restaurant. She and her business partner often struggle with people’s heightened perceptions of them.

As Mark and Lindsey frequently remind me, “One’s perception IS one’s reality.” This notion is powerful and underscores how others’ views can shape our experiences, no matter how we see ourselves. It is a humbling reminder that, whether we are leading a major company or running a local business, people’s perceptions can have a significant impact.

Much like my husband and I hiking the same trail but seeing different things, these business owners and leaders are navigating the same organizational paths as their teams, but their views and experiences can be vastly different. It is fascinating to consider that, no matter the scale of success, people often do not realize how much their perception of others shapes their views—and in turn, how they are perceived by others.

In the workplace, as in life, understanding that there are different ways to see the same thing is crucial. By being open to exploring different routes—both literally and figuratively—we can gain a fuller picture and better appreciate the perspectives of others. Whether you are walking a trail, managing a project, or leading a company, remember that there is value in considering how someone else might see the world from their side of the path.

Brooke Schnorr,
Associate Consultant