Gathering Perspective

Table of Contents: Gathering MSP Perspective · 5 Caveats · FAQ

Gathering MSP Perspective

In sticking with our theme around perspective, I thought it would be useful to give a few different lists around perspectives to gather depending on situations. This blog will cover 5 caveats I've found that serve me well when gathering perspective.

First, by no means are these meant to be exhaustive. One thing I've found to be "absolutely true" is that no one, myself most of all, can be a single source of truth around a topic. Remember that these lists are my perspective around the topic. Collecting and analyzing other points of view is required to have a well-rounded plan.

5 Caveats

Document perspective as you gather it. Write down perspectives as you gather them. Context, detail, and key items can get lost or forgotten over the course of just a few hours. An interesting statistic I found (Source: Bridge) is that 50% of training is lost within an HOUR of consumption, increasing to 70% within 24 hours. You can improve retention with additional training actions. Hearing the perspective is one action, or sense utilized. Writing it down, and rereading it are two additional actions across different mediums (hand/touch and eyes/visual) that can help increase the amount of retention you will have around the perspective you're gathering.

Time impacts perspective. Validate perspectives across multiple sources. For example, if you're gathering perspective from your team, ask multiple people on your team on different days and at different times. The same holds true for clients, prospects, vendors, and suppliers, etc. You never know if you're catching someone at a bad time or a particularly good time. Getting a cross section that accounts for different moods and environments is helpful.

Perspective can change over time. Recheck your perspective periodically. What was true in June of 2015 may no longer be accurate in May of 2022. Time changes all things, universally. Ensuring that your perspective is valid for the current set of variables and environment is invaluable as an exercise.

Balance your perspective. Make sure to consider your own caveats. Consider that this document represents what Ian Richardson has found to be important when considering perspectives. Ask yourself, "what do I find to be important?"

Other perspectives to consider:

• Your team
• Your clients
• Your vendor partners

Make sure to keep those in mind as you pursue these lists.

If you're struggling to gather perspective or get your team onboard with the need to do so, Fox & Crow Group can help. Talk to a founder, not a sales rep — schedule a meeting with Carrie Richardson or Ian Richardson here: short.foxcrowgroup.com/meet.

Sources: Bridge. Retrieved 6.25.2021 - 10 Stats About Learning Retention You'll Want to Remember.

FAQ

Why should you document perspective as soon as you gather it? Retention drops fast — roughly 50% of training is lost within an hour and 70% within 24 hours — so writing it down immediately preserves context that would otherwise be lost.

Why does perspective need to be rechecked periodically? What was true years ago may no longer be accurate today. Time changes the variables and environment a perspective was based on, so it needs periodic revalidation.