An employee of mine got the lead role in a local theater play—and today I got to see her perform.
When she first told me about this opportunity and how she got casted as the lead, it meant she was going to be much less available for work—because she was going to have to devote much more of her available time to preparing for the play.
As a boss, it’d be easy for me to get upset about this because of how it affected my ability to staff the school.
But, I was as supportive as I could be and looked for opportunities in her absence.
And after seeing her perform today, I’m so glad I did.
Seeing her perform was the most I’ve ever seen her express herself… it’s the most confident I’ve ever seen her… it’s the most alive I’ve ever seen her.
If both her and I were too zoomed in on the short term… she might not have gone through with the play. Maybe she would’ve chosen the short-term money from working her hours and/or maybe an overreaction from me would’ve made her choose differently or feel badly or at the very least not invite me to see her perform.
…And what a shame that would’ve been.
The long term focus, zoomed out perspective is almost always the way to go.
Because what it implies is a short term sacrifice for a later, larger gain.
…Much better than the long term sacrifice for the shorter, smaller gain.