Perspective Taking

Perspective taking 
is keeping an open mind about where your group members are coming from. Be considerate of their ideas and opinions. You can’t complete a task until you have heard everyone’s perspective. Make sure to express your own perspective as well, and try to find a common ground with your teammates.

To get a hands- on experience with perspective taking, try getting your group to do an activity. Do one using toy blocks. You can print out pictures, each one representing a different side of a building. Each member will receive a different picture. You will not be allowed to show anyone your picture. Quietly, stack the blocks and try to re-create your side of the image. See if your group can put together this building, using all of your different perspectives with only a limited number of blocks.

If you are having difficulties experiencing positive perspective taking, try to learn more about your group members. Try putting yourself in their shoes. If they seem angry or short, they could be feeling stressed. Maybe they are trying to balance a high course load and work a job at the same time. Maybe they are experiencing problems with a friend. You never know unless you talk with them. And make sure to show some compassion. There is always someone out there who is worse off than you are.