tunnel vision n.
- A constricted visual field in which peripheral perception is eliminated.
- An extremely narrow point of view; narrow-mindedness.
– American Heritage Dictionary, Second College Edition
There’s nothing like a bunch of concentric circles to help remind business owners, managers and marketers about the importance of “context.” It’s always out there, evolving, influencing and challenging what we think we know about our organization, our industry or the world. More than depicting tunnel vision, this simple graphic shows why tunnel vision should be avoided.
It shows that serving Customers well requires motivations and effort arising from a core Purpose. This is embraced and embodied by a Product (and/or Service) and an Organization (the Business) that must deliver high performance over time. Because a business must perform well for a long time or what’s the point? Dissatisfaction and objectivity are good for a business, because the context is always changing, if subtly, and the future is mostly unknown. So, it helps to take a good look around – inwardly, outwardly and beyond – constantly. Lastly, this dizzying depiction shows that Innovation is, or can be, integral, drawing insights and momentum from within and outside the business as new bases for delivering, with Purpose, one’s best. Expending resources to preserve and defend a point-of-view, rather than on seeking and seeing with an open mind, can be a costly choice.
In our business and the marketing of others, we avoid tunnel vision in its many common forms… Product, Strategy, Media, Message, Creative/Conceptual, Execution, Interpretation… We challenge and refine our view, which helps our clients evolve and trust theirs.