Tunnel vision

12/12/2017

I had a friend once, Norman, who was deaf and had tunnel vision – literally. He was able to see people and things directly in front of him but had no peripheral vision at all. If I wanted to gain his attention, I had to stand directly in front of him to sign. As I approached, I had to be careful not to take him by surprise, as if suddenly appearing out of nowhere. It was a tough lived-experience for Norman and made navigating the world and relationships very challenging. I admire his courage in how he handled it.

In common use, we apply the phrase ‘tunnel vision’ metaphorically to represent a person or group’s psychological state. It tends to be characterised by limited focus or perspective, lack of awareness of the bigger picture and unwillingness to consider alternative points of view. As such, we normally associate tunnel vision negatively with narrow-mindedness, a condition to be avoided or challenged. We need to think more openly, broadly or laterally if we are to be effective…or so we assume.

Yet there are other dimensions to tunnel vision. Think of blinkers or blinders that enable a horse to focus on straight ahead by excluding a wider view and, thereby, to avoid it becoming distracted or alarmed by things around it. Think of choosing to focus intently and single-mindedly on a vision or piece of work in order to fulfil it, complete it to a certain standard or achieve it within a given timeframe. There are times and situations where tunnel vision serves us well to achieve our goals.

There are aesthetic dimensions too. I walked along a train platform this week and noticed a beautiful snowscape through a porthole window. I was struck by how the window framed the view in such a way that it drew my attention to things I had never noticed before. It was as if I saw them simultaneously out-of context and in-new context, like how we see special qualities in a person, how he or she now stands out from a crowd, when we fall in love.

So...as we approach 2018, is there light at the end of your tunnel?

15 Comments

Liz Dunphy

12/12/2017 10:15:45 pm

Interesting and thought provoking Nick.

Nick Wright

12/12/2017 10:16:36 pm

Thanks for your affirming feedback, Liz.

Richard Simpson

13/12/2017 10:19:32 am

As always, Nick, interesting and got me thinking. In many ways I think tunnel vision is overused in today's world. I agree there are times when it's appropriate - when we are clear on our outcome and constrained by time or other limited resources. We just need to get the job done. But I have always wondered about people with specific goals in life or in some other fuzzy aspect of living and what they miss out on as they grimly climb their personal Everest. I was recently introduced to the idea of Finite and Infinite Games developed by James Carse. For example, doing a job is a finite game, developing a career is an infinite game. Both have value. The problems arise when we misunderstand which game we are in. So much rational, data driven activity, for example in the UK education sector, classically mistakes the finite and the infinite. It is all about short-term outcomes to meet the 5-year political cycle. The idea that education might be about lighting fires, opening doors and beating the machine (an infinite game) is swamped by micromanagement, data analysis, passing exams, hitting targets (a finite game). The result is the conversion of schools into grim factories of examinations, levels of achievement, regulation and performance management. Child and adolescent (and teacher) mental illness, meanwhile, is reaching epidemic proportions. That's the cost of muddling the two types of game.

13/12/2017 12:20:51 pm

Hi Richard. Thanks for your encouraging feedback and for sharing such stimulating insights and ideas. I love the way you expressed that! I had a conversation along very similar lines with an inspiring leader-colleague this week. I actually took the photo I used for this blog on the way back from that meeting.

I'm aware that I'm so naturally drawn towards the 'infinite game' (including, for me, spiritual and existential dimensions that stretch beyond, say, career development) and disruptive-type thinking to challenge beliefs, assumptions and paradigms that I risk ignoring or dismissing the value of 'finite game' thinking and practice.

When I glanced through the porthole, it challenged me to revisit my own preferences and assumptions in relation to 'tunnel vision'. I agree that knowing the difference between the two types of game - and having the awareness to know which we are playing in any given time and situation - and why - is very important.

I haven't come across James Carse's work. You have inspired me to look into it further.

19/12/2017 02:46:59 pm

You're welcome Nick. Your blog always gets my brain cells whirring and when i comment i try to do it in a way which might add something to the original.

19/12/2017 04:02:18 pm

Thanks Richard. I always look forward to reading your comments, insights and ideas for that same reason! :)

Srihari Balasubramaniam

19/12/2017 11:09:46 am

Wow ..beautiful article Nick as usual. In my view as is the case with most things in life balance is of the essence here..yes sometimes you need to have that tunnel vision and get down to doing something..at other times you need to expand the vision...as the road sign in the tunnel says ..don't stop inside the tunnel..keep moving ..and emerge from the tunnel wiser and brighter.

19/12/2017 11:12:11 am

Thank you, Srihari. Yes, I think the thing that struck me in reflecting on this blog was a recognition that, in some times and situations and in some ways, some forms of 'tunnel vision' can be a beneficial and beautiful thing! :)

Sara Pearson MSc

20/12/2017 01:25:06 am

Hi Nick, your post really resonates with me with regard to a session I co-delivered a few years ago. The session was focused on business planning and was inspired by a book I read on engagement. Using the analogy of altitude the author found that people at different levels of an organisation fly at different altitudes. For example, Leaders fly at 35000 feet, they can clearly see the horizon, mountain, lakes, how they all connect and affect each other but they cant see the detail and what's happening on the ground. Managers fly at 15000 feet, they can see skyscrapers, motorways, forests and houses that all look alike, however they are unable to see the horizon or the day to day detail. Then there is the frontline staff who fly at 1000 feet, they can see specifics e.g. buildings, cars, but they can’t see the horizon and how it all connects together. They all work in the same organisation but all have entirely different perspectives – in effect they all have tunnel vision! One of the first things I now ask people now is, what is your reality?

20/12/2017 01:33:42 am

Thanks Sara. 'What is your reality?' What a great question. 'In effect, they have tunnel vision' - very true! I think the relationship between what we 'see' and our 'reality' is a very interesting one. I try to say a bit more about it in this short piece: http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/more-than-words-can-say

I like the altitude metaphor and...at the same time...I wonder now how far it is now true given the influence and potential of internet, social media etc. The digital world makes it possible for people at the 'lowest' levels of hierarchy to be well informed and to exert considerable influence inside and outside of the organisation.

I think this is where notions of distributed and dispersed leadership are fascinating and important as we think about leadership of the future. What do you think?

21/12/2017 11:23:08 am

Hi Nick, I agree that distributed and dispersed leadership provides the foundations to enhance an organisations resilience, sustainability and adaptability, However this type of leadership is not without its challenges especially in large organisations that are mired in traditional hierarchical thinking. Implementing a more emergent approach in this context would require a complete shift in organisational culture. If an organisation truly exemplifies shared leadership then people will be more likely to explore, understand, influence and exert positive contributions both within and outside of the organisation. I believe this is why its vital to understand an organisations reality across all levels before instigating large transformational change.

21/12/2017 11:28:31 am

Hi Sara. Well said. My sense is that the challenge and the opportunity are already there. People are already exerting influence and engaging in positive (and sometimes not-so-positive) contributions inside and outside or organisations.

A critical question is, therefore, whether those 'mired in traditional hierarchical thinking' are too constrained by tunnel vision to see what is already there and/or too locked in conventional practices to respond constructively to it..?

22/12/2017 09:09:41 am

100% agree with your critical Question Nick.

22/12/2017 09:10:59 am

Thanks Sara. :) It raises a related question in my own mind and practice - that is, how to influence change in that scenario.

24/12/2017 12:41:43 am

Hi Nick, with great difficulty!! However, the CEO and directors of an organisation must be the initial drivers, facilitators and motivators of any transformation program of this magnitude. However, top down assertions in a traditional multi-layered organisation in todays, rapid, unpredictable and ever increasing digital world is not enough. In my opinion there needs to be a more dispersed system of accountability and governance for successful and sustainable change.

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