Why every great leader needs to be a great perspective taker

Perspective taking is a crucial leadership skill, yet Galinsky and Schweitzer contend that it becomes more difficult the higher you rise in an organization. Gaining perspective helps to motivate others, communicate more clearly, and navigate difficult or tense situations. Their article includes research they conducted with psychologists at the University of Iowa, the University of California-Los Angeles, and New York University, as well as an anecdote about President John F. Kennedy and the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Galinsky and Schweitzer conclude that when “leaders overcome their diminished motivation to engage in perspective taking, they can make better decisions, communicate more clearly, and lead more effectively.”