Change of Place + Change of Pace = Change of Perspective

I wish I could take credit for this equation. The best I can remember it this equation comes from Mark Batterson at National Community Church in Washington, DC. He may have stole it from someone else.

The beauty of this equation is that it is so true. Coming off vacation last week I can personally attest that getting out of your regular environment, going to a new place helps you change your perspective when you return. So many times we get caught up in the day to day monotony of whatever we do- work, schedules, etc. Changing our place and our pace helps jolt us out of this monotony and can move us from being tired, cynical, and overburdened to a new place and a new perspective.

This is true as well for teams and organizations. Some of the best thinking can occur outside the normal environment and pace of organizational life. This is why leadership retreats are such a good idea. They foster creativity, clear and different thinking, and team building that would probably not occur in the same environment at the same pace.

This equation can also be applied to individuals on a mini-scale. I mean it is great to take a week's vacation but how about a day away somewhere different than the office or work place. Maybe its a trip to the lake or the mountains or some other place where you won't be distracted by cell phones, emails and texts.

Change of place + change of pace can make all the difference.