Symmetry is pleasing to the eye. They say “officially beautiful people” are perceived so because of their clean symmetry. It’s not a specific nose or cheekbone that does the job, it’s the overall symmetry. Draw an imaginary line down the middle of their face and the sides match up.
Well, most of us are a bit wonky, my left eye much bigger than the right and so on. But look at nature, at how much symmetry we find.
I was at the local creek, marvelling at the many mirroring images of trees, cliffs and clouds on the water surface and realised how meaningful reflection is.
Reflecting on things. Being able to mirror ourselves in others. The void some of us have felt recently getting used to new ways of seeing each other and being seen. The refreshing part of seeing things from a different perspective.
As a coach, a lot of our clients’ successes are because we help them get a different perspective. See things a new way. Challenge the old, stuck ways of doing, saying, thinking, being.
We help to move towards balance. Where the outside image is connected with the inner picture. Us as leaders. Our clients’ view of our business. Our results with our being. That next level of alignment and symmetry.
When we as human beings, balanced leaders (aiming for that symmetry again?) keep developing ourselves, it’s to create an even truer picture of ourselves. Not to change ourself to become like someone else. No, to get closer to the true reflection.
Ensuring the outer picture is more congruent with the inner. Our outer appearance and how others perceive us and our endeavours being closer to a mirror of the inside than a disguise.
In our professional sales work, which really is about connecting with other humans, we try to reflect each other and see if there is “a match” in our services vs needs, our values, our delivery expectations and capability. The more true we are to ourselves and the clearer we are on how our offer differs to that of others – the clearer you will hear a sigh of relief from the other party, clarity and certainty that what they see is what they need – and what they will get.
Let’s go back to nature. An ant with the same amount of legs on each side, the butterfly with colour markings and patterns in perfect symmetry: put up a mirror in the “folding axis” and see the perfection. That’s what amazed us in kindergarten, painting and then folding the paper: WOW, a perfect version of what we had painted was now copied, mirrored – creating an impressively rich and wonderful image.
That’s why it creates great results and makes a lot of sense when we work strategically to attract the right type of clients, matching ourselves to the right tribe.
There is so much to learn from nature. Keeping things simple and aligned. Let’s create beauty from wonkiness.
Remember checking in on the reflections. Are we seeing what we would like to see? Are we moving towards the version of ourselves, our teams, our businesses that we really want?
Let’s reflect on that. And keep working towards symmetry. Balance inside-out. With sustainable results as an outcome.