Commentary: Resolving problems is a matter of perspective Published April 7, 2014 By Sharon R. Hamilton Director, Ogden ALC Aerospace Sustainment Directorate HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- My organization, the Aerospace Sustainment Directorate (ASD) within the Ogden Air Logistics Complex, was formed by direction of the Secretary of the Air Force in an effort to reduce the potential impacts of the Air Force Material Command's five center re-organization. Each ASD is charged with ensuring "horizontal integration" across Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's (AFLCMC), Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center's (AFNWC) program management/product support organizations and Air Force Sustainment Center's (AFSC) depot maintenance and supply chain management organizations at each of the Complexes. Our organization's guiding principles are integration, standardization, optimization, and problem resolution. The ASDs are tasked to ensure or strengthen the bridge that links the organizations and act as the "honest broker," when issues arise. Given almost two years of problem resolution and honest broker efforts, I have found that often the reasons issues are not resolved in a productive and expeditious manner are due to the team member's paradigms and lack of understanding of the other organization's perspectives. The most prominent example of "lack of objective perspective and seeking to understand" is from an exercise in the book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey, where he explains paradigm shift, and how you make one. A person is asked to look at a picture and state what they see. Upon first glance, an individual may see an "old hag" or "a beautiful lady." I had the privilege of attending Seven Habits training, and I remember seeing the "old hag" and then heard someone else say they saw a beautiful woman. I thought to myself, "I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder," but this person has to be crazy to think that picture is of a beautiful woman. The instructor then pointed out how the picture could actually reflect both, just by looking at it from a different perspective. Only then, did I see the beautiful lady. The instructor then explained it is our paradigms that determine our attitudes or perspectives. We needed to change our approach in order to change the results or outcome. He explained how paradigm shifts can be positive or negative and its awareness could create powerful changes in our lives. Our instructor taught us the "habit" needed - to do a better job of listening and seeking to understand the other's perspectives. What was so interesting was each member was correct in looking at the picture, yet initially each individual was determined to prove their perspective was "right" and got quite indignant in proving their case. Only when the instructor provided the clarification, did we realize we were both right. This habit was quite life changing for me, and from that point forward I made a conscious effort to seek to understand other's perspectives when dealing with issues or conflict, and embraced the differences. I did this by asking questions and applying the five Ws and one H concept (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How). The more I practiced this habit the more knowledgeable and respectful I became of the individual's or organization's concerns, roles, responsibilities, vision, mission, etc., which helped in developing a compromise or "win-win" situation. So when faced with a conflict or issue, I challenge you to recognize your paradigms and practice seeking to understand other's perspectives. My hope in doing so is that you will become more productive and efficient in problem resolution without escalation; also, you become more knowledgeable of your team member's or supporting organization's objectives, while obtaining a new found respect of their important attributes.