Have you ever seen a group of blindfolded people touching different parts of an elephant and arguing over what it is? One says it’s a rope, another says it’s a tree, someone else insists it’s a spear. Each of them is right—in their limited view—but completely wrong in understanding the full picture.
That’s exactly what happens when teams, leaders, and organizations make decisions in isolation.
Acting without context is a fast track to bad decisions, wasted effort, and broken trust. The best leaders, product teams, and thinkers don’t just react. They pause, step back, and take it all in.
This principle plays out everywhere:
When Teams Don’t Zoom Out, Everything Falls Apart
- In product development—teams build features in isolation, only to realize later that they don’t fit together.
- In leadership—decisions get made based on fragments of information, leading to rework, frustration, and lost credibility.
- In conversations—people react before they understand, missing the bigger truth and damaging relationships.
The ability to zoom out before zooming in is what separates great teams, great leaders, and great minds from those who are just… busy.
Lack of the Bigger Picture Creates Waste
Think about product teams rushing to build new features. They write stories, refine details, and commit to sprints—but do they know how these pieces fit together?
The result? Disconnected components, misaligned features, and massive rework.
This creates what I call “Frankenstein products”—a mishmash of parts that don’t fit well together, leading to inefficiency, confusion, and wasted time.
How do you avoid this?
Visual alignment is a must. Before diving into the details, teams need to see the big picture together.
This is why User Story Mapping is so powerful. When key stakeholders collaborate visually—not just in documents, but in real discussions—teams align on what they’re truly building.
- This isn’t just about clarity. It’s about:
- Avoiding unnecessary rework.
- Ensuring priorities align with real value.
- Making sure everything fits together as a whole.
The best teams don’t just execute—they align before they build.
Decisive Leaders See the Whole, Not Just the Pieces
Great leaders don’t just act fast. They act with full understanding.
They:
- Absorb complexity before making decisions.
- Connect the dots between short-term and long-term impact.
- Make choices that align with a bigger mission—not just what’s urgent today.
Leaders who fail to zoom out? They react. They focus on pieces, not patterns. And when decisions are made reactively, trust is lost.
Patience, empathy, and commitment to understanding the whole are the real superpowers of great leadership.
Zooming Out Builds Stronger Teams, Leaders, and Trust
- When people react too quickly, they miss the bigger truth.
- When teams work without alignment, they build in silos.
- When leaders make decisions in a vacuum, they erode credibility.
This is why Lean thinking emphasizes the whole system, not just the parts. The more you zoom out, the better you move forward.
Steven Covey said it best:
👉 “Begin with the end in mind.”
The best teams, leaders, and organizations don’t just execute tasks—they align on a vision.
Final Thoughts: Zooming Out Isn’t Slowing Down—It’s a Smarter Way to Move Fast
Many mistake zooming out as slowing down and losing speed. But in reality, stepping back helps you move forward faster and with confidence.
When leaders and teams skip this step, they chase quick wins that don’t add up to long-term success. They get lost in details without seeing how those details connect. They optimize for speed instead of direction.
Zooming out is not waste and hesitation—it’s building with clarity. It ensures that every action, every feature, every decision contributes to something meaningful.
- A team that zooms out first delivers the right product, not just any product.
- A leader who zooms out first makes decisions that stand the test of time.
- An organization that zooms out first creates a culture of alignment, trust, and impact.
Your Turn
Where have you seen things fall apart because the bigger picture wasn’t clear?
Drop a comment—would love to hear your experiences!
Agilonomics Bot AgiNomi helped the author polish his ideas, thoughts and expressions in this post.
This blog is so relatable! The example of blindfolded people touching an elephant is spot on—it’s exactly what happens when teams and leaders don’t see the bigger picture. I really liked the part about User Story Mapping and avoiding ‘Frankenstein products.’ It’s so true how disconnected features can waste time and effort. Great advice for leaders and product teams. Really helpful read, thank you!