Whilst on holiday I enjoy people watching, observing their behaviors, habits and routines as they go about their daily lives, and most recently whilst sat outside a coffee shop in Southern France was fascinated by an old man sat on the next table playing chess against himself!

I’ve heard many a dedicated chess player use this technique as a means of practice, however having not seen someone physically do it found myself compelled to watch intently as the game unfolded.

What perhaps made this man stand out so much though and his style of play was that he physically got up and moved around the table to take each turn! On one side of the table was a small cup of French espresso coffee, whilst on the other a jug and glass of mineral water. As each chess piece was considered, and then meticulously moved, he would rise from his seat, shuffle around the table and sit in the opposing chair, take a sip of the drink in front of him whilst reviewing the move his ‘opposition’ had just made!

I watched for some time, way beyond the completion of my own drink, almost fascinated by this mans technique and as I watched noticed his facial expressions also changed as ‘espresso’ man was being significantly win over by ‘glass of water’ guy, only for ‘glass of water’ guy to become overly confident and find himself in checkmate, outsmarted by ‘espresso’ guy. His wizened old face cracked a rye smile as he settled the bill, but before he left (and in my appallingly bad, broken French enquired as to his particular technique)

“Before we have an opinion, we should first walk a mile in their shoes”

This wise old man had taken this most well known quote so literally, he actually swopped seats with himself, sitting on the other side of the table to have a different viewpoint on the game.

Taking this into our business and even into our personal lives, it does make me far more considered as to our perception of self, our opinion and how easy it can be to fall and stay in the autopilot of life, innocently believing that what we are doing is right, for the right reasons and will ultimately create for us the right results.

There is a distinct need for us to be confidant, outgoing, driven but there is also the risk of becoming blinkered if left unchallenged. I remember a great comedy game show a few years ago now named ‘argumental’ whereby two teams would take it in turn to argue either for or against a statement and the winner was determined by who put forward the most convincing (in the television programs version the funniest) argument. However, the stink in the tail was that the game show host picked whether each team had to argue for or against the statement (often knowing this contradicted their actual viewpoint on the subject)

It is often suggested we would benefit from righting a FOR and AGAINST list or PRO’s and CON’s to help us determine the right course of action, but I wonder how many of us actually do this frequently, honestly and with any real consideration?

Perhaps we could all learn from Mr. Espresso Man and the Glass of Water Guy, and consider the other persons perspective far more realistically than a passing comment or glance. By physically becoming a customer of our own business what might we experience? A client recently asked me to review the copy of his About Us page, and whilst all the words were honest, they were the words of a business owner traditionally discussing what he wanted the viewers to know about him and his company. The most fundamental lesson had been forgotten: WE ARE NOT OUR CUSTOMERS and non of the copy was really that necessary, relevant or of interest to the reader (potential customer)

Likewise, before I launch a new product/service, I always buy it, mail it to myself, use it to establish the buyers perspective. I remember Theo Pthetis, one of the ‘Dragons, of the UK TV show Dragons Den stating “Before I consider investing in a product I want to receive a copy, use it, try and break it, and then return it” I want to sample every aspects of the potential customers experience.

A client recently spoke to me about how much they were benefiting from being part of my mastermind program. “Before I joined, I had always asked others their opinion as to whether I should or shouldn’t do certain things in my business, so didn’t really see the benefit of joining a mastermind group. It’s only since I’ve joined I’ve realized the people I picked to ask, where only those I subconsciously knew would agree with my point of view!”