Perspective in real life is simply defined as a window to which our outlooks, thinking and points of view are reflected thru. How we perceive things will determine how we react to situations. In business, if we perceive people as competitors, we tend to be guarded and evasive. If we consider them allies, we are open and accommodating. If we perceive that the market will go up, we buy. If we perceive the markets will go down, we sell. So perspective especially in business does matter. But how is it shaped? And are we prepared to deal with the consequences of having the wrong perspective?

One of the funniest commercials I have heard over my favorite radio station, Y101, is the ad for Butterbean Cookies. It depicted a familiar situation of a man confessing to his woman about his wrongdoing. As she listens, the woman’s curiosity and alarm bells start spiking. She begins to wonder what was the grave deed committed , when the man blurts out, “I ate all your butterbean ! “ The reaction of the woman is the classic shock, anger and rant, “I do everything for you….I can’t believe you ate all my butterbean….”.

Let me tell you of this story. I have a friend who is from Bohol. She travels back and forth between Cebu and Bohol, balancing the demands of work and the serenity of a provincial home. She often racks her brain thinking about what to bring us from Bohol and what to bring her parents from Cebu as “Pasalubong”. I suggested to her a box of Butterbean cookies that she can pick up in the mall near the ferry terminal.

Thus, she bought 2 boxes of cookies, one to eat while on board the ferry and one to give to her parents. She then proceeded to the ferry terminal carrying her bag and a plastic bag containing her boxes of cookies. Upon arriving and checking in, she took a seat in the waiting area, and proceeded to work on her laptop while waiting for boarding time.

A few minutes later, an elderly gentleman sat down beside her, opened up a magazine and started reading. After a while, he reached down, grabbed a box of cookies and opened it. He looked at the cookie and started eating it. My friend was shocked at the man’s action. She restrained herself from getting upset taking into account that the man was a senior citizen.

After a while, her indignation got the best of her, and she reached out and took a cookie from the box and proceeded to eat it. She did not feel the need to explain herself and was uncomfortable doing so. The man expressed surprise, looked at her as she was munching, and proceeded to take 2 cookies from the box.

My friend started to get really bothered and reached out and took 2 cookies too. After which they both sat there in glum silence munching their cookies. When suddenly they both glanced at the box at the same time and noticed that there was only one cookie left. Before she could react, the man reached in and took it. He then got up abruptly and walked away.

My friend felt a raw surge of anger. She was debating with herself on whether or not to create a scene right there and then, or to run after the man to give him a “friendly lecture” on manners. After calming herself, she decided to have a “courteous” talk with the elderly gentleman. She kept her laptop and gathered her things. She picked up her plastic bag and noticed that there were still 2 boxes of cookies inside. Shocked, she glanced at the floor and noticed an empty plastic bag. Then the realization hit her, the cookies that they had been “sharing” were not hers but actually belonged to the elderly gentleman.