There’s an apple tree in the local park. And at this time of year, it attracts a lot of attention because the apples are ripening and dropping to the ground. Some people see the apples as something to gather or pick and eat. Some of the kids see a ball and toss it around or hit it with a stick. Other kids see the apples as a game like whack-a-mole, jumping on one after another and crushing them. The tree sees the apples as a means to spread its seeds. And if I just said Apple, you might think about the company.
In business, what people see depends on the lens they are looking through. As leaders, part of our job is to understand what people see.