Today is the feast day of St. Lucy, or Santa Lucia, the patron saint of blindness and eye issues.  Her name means “light.”

Did you know that we humans only see a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum - 0.0035 percent! (see image above).  Most types of light - microwaves, ultraviolet rays, X-rays - are undetectable to the human eye.

To think that we only see a portion of what is really visible!  It’s just not visible to our human eye.

As a Coach to humans that are called Leaders, I get to sit with these beautiful pairs of eyes and see the world through their eyes.

Yet, as I reflect on what I have written, I realize that what they share with me as their coach is limited.  It is based on what is “seen,” or “heard,” or “felt.” AND, I realize that what they share with me is limited by my own “sight.” The refraction of this whole concept is mindblowing!

We rely on our sense of sight to give us information. However, it is limited. And with that limitation, we make assumptions and draw conclusions.  We reduce a person, a colleague, to something based on very limited information.  We want to understand, and we want to know. But, we need to do this with information that comes to us in the light.

So, what’s the antidote?

In order for us to see these other types of light, we have to use different lenses.  Telescopes. Microscopes. Night vision scopes. We need different apertures to see different lights.

We need different lenses to see each other differently, maybe more honestly.

Leaders and humans needs these lenses to see more of the other (and themselves):

• Understanding and Empathy

• Bigger Picture

• Self-Awareness

• Respect and Trust

• Listening to Understand

When we use these lenses, we begin to see the other person differently, in a different light. They, and we, become more whole.

We don’t need to fill in the gap with darkness.  We just need more light.

Today, use a different lens to see your world.