Ever been in a meeting where everyone’s right, and nothing moves forward?
Originally posted on LinkedIn on 19 Oct 2025
Ever been in a meeting where everyone’s right, and nothing moves forward?
Each person talking sense, but from their own sense.
Each stuck in their own perspective.
Integral theory helps explain why.
We all tend to see and make sense of the world through four different lenses: I, We, It, and Its. After 10 years coaching leaders, I’ve seen most tension boil down to this 4-lens clash.
And most of us have one we naturally default to, a kind of home base in how we think and relate.
From I, our attention turns inward:
👉 Am I the right person for this?
👉 Does this feel right to me?
From We, it turns toward connection:
🤝 Can I trust these people enough to collaborate with them?
🤝 Are we aligned on what matters?
From It, the focus moves to action:
⚙️ Enough talking, let’s get started.
⚙️ What’s the next step?
From Its, we see the larger system:
🌐 How does all of this make sense?
🌐 Before we act, do we have a clear plan?
None of these is wrong.
Each brings a valuable way of seeing, and together they create a fuller picture.
But when we always default to one, we limit what’s possible.
We see and do everything from that single vantage point, and things start to get stuck.
The shift begins when we start to notice our own default,
and learn to listen, think, and act from the other three as well.
💭 Which one feels most like your home base?
Once you know your home base, you can start leading from all four.
Save this for the next time you get stuck.