Have you ever stopped to consider the difference between a snapshot or photo of a moment and capturing a video of a moment? When you stop to think about it, the differences are vast.
But, more than anything, I think you should consider the implications of that snapshot moment.
Photo by Ivan Shimko on Unsplash
Is It A Snapshot Or Video?
With a snapshot, a moment of time is captured in a single frame. You can see what appears to be a smiling person, laughing, looking joyous. Maybe the snapshot shows a scowling person who’s frustrated. Or… there could be a snapshot showing someone ambivalent about what is happening around them. They look like they just don’t care.
But what’s really happening at the moment the photo was taken? Is the person really happy? Are they upset? Do they not care?
You can’t tell in the single frame that is captured. You may have captured someone who was upset and scowling who then saw something funny. Their frown went from frustration to looking like they didn’t care to smiling and laughing.
These single snapshots don’t mean much in the long term. Their meaning can be misconstrued. You can read into something that’s not there.
That’s why a video of those moments or extended moments can be beneficial. You can see what’s happening before, during, and after the scene.
Why Leaders Need To Take The Video Approach
I’ve seen leaders take the snapshot approach far too often. They see a single moment or action and base their opinions and ideals around that moment. If they were to look back at a video recording of the moment, they would see there’s more to the situation than the moment indicates.
Think about it like this:
- John comes to you and says Bob stopped working for 10 minutes and went outside
- He then tells you this held up a very important customer’s schedule
- John says it appears the customer will no longer do business with you
You have a snapshot of a moment. What John doesn’t tell you is that Bob saw an elderly woman trip on the curb outside of your building. He left the customer for 10 minutes to help the woman get back up, check on her, and tend to her wounds.
Bob didn’t just leave the customer. He had also told her what he had seen. He informed her he’d be back once he cared for the injured person. The customer he left behind isn’t mad. She’s actually thrilled you have an employee who cares for others, even if they’re not customers. She’s now a customer for life.
Leaders cannot take the snapshot approach when it comes to dealing with an employee. They have to have the video replay. They have to be able to figure out what happened, why, and how it impacted others.
Don’t take the snapshot moments as the gospel truth. There’s so much more happening in that moment and the moments surrounding it that a single moment in time doesn’t accurately reflect what’s happened.
What can you do to get the video?
- Ask for more details
- Talk to others who were there
- Consider the person’s past behavior
- Put the pieces together
When we do the above, we will discover there’s much more to the picture than the captured frame. Be willing to dig deep, investigate, and find out the truth.
