Be the Bison. Discern What Others Don’t.
People with range often have better discernment. People without range, stuck in their silos of expertise, can lack cognitive flexibility. Rigidity prevents them from being truly helpful. Discernment is about diagnosis, and the ability to correctly diagnose problems often requires what David Epstein calls “range” or “habits of mind that allow us to dance across disciplines.”
“While detailed knowledge of a single area once guaranteed success, today the top rewards go to those who can operate with equal aplomb in starkly different realms.” —Dan Pink, “A Whole New Mind”
Be the Bison
Bison have eyes positioned on the sides of their head, giving them lateral, or broad-sited vision. This allows a bison to keep an eye on their periphery, making it less likely for a predator to blindside them. Contrast a bison’s wide field of view with what is called, Foveal Vision, or narrow tunnel vision that misses either the threat or the solution coming from the margins.
Who Are the Bison In Your Ministry?
Every ministry and organization needs people who can see their tribe’s rigid patterns and potential pitfalls. These people are your bison—people with broad-sited range and panoramic thinking. They are often your Renaissance Thinkers, your creatives with multi-disciplinary backgrounds and a rich thought-life. Their discernment allows them to pull from an expansive perspective that detects both the blind spots and the opportunities in a world where status-quo hinders the Kingdom.