When we talk about leadership, strategy and development projects, we often use the term ‘bird’s-eye view’ in higher education institutions. We use it to describe raising our gaze to the heights so that we can view the whole picture from above, like birds. The metaphor has become so deeply ingrained in our language that few people stop to consider how well it applies to today’s operating environment.

The problem with the ‘bird’s-eye view’ is that a bird flies haphazardly wherever it pleases. A small bird views its surroundings in a completely different way to an eagle soaring high above. A bird of prey searches for its prey across vast areas and focuses on anything that moves. A waterbird, on the other hand, views the world from the perspective of water, shores and migration routes. Every bird has its own purpose, its own logic of behaviour and its own way of perceiving its environment.

Although these behavioural patterns are appropriate for the birds’ survival, they do not necessarily provide a leader with a coherent or goal-oriented perspective from which to examine an organisation, a project or a strategy. Thus, the ‘bird’s-eye view’ is not, in fact, a single, unified perspective. It is a collection of different viewpoints, each of which is determined by the observer’s own instincts, needs and behavioural patterns.

From a university’s standpoint, a bird’s-eye view of the world is often determined more by circumstance than by intentional navigation. The view may be wide-ranging, but we have little control over what we see, the angle from which we see it, or how long we observe a particular phenomenon. Would it finally be time for us to update this metaphor? What if, from now on, we were to talk about a ‘drone’s-eye view’ instead? With a drone’s-eye view, we can choose the altitude, direction, speed, angle of observation and subject ourselves, and we are not dependent on the behavioural patterns or habitats of different bird species.

The choice of perspective is conscious and deliberate

The bird’s-eye view is a more passive and random metaphor, whereas the drone’s-eye view better describes modern-day leadership – the conscious choice of perspective, the adjustment of focus and the management of the bigger picture. The drone’s perspective is purposeful. Its flight path can be planned and its altitude adjusted. A drone can hover in place, circle a subject, change direction, or return to re-examine a particular detail. Where necessary, the drone ascends to gain an overview or descends close to the subject to focus on the details. This is precisely what modern leadership is all about.

Leading an organisation or a project is not merely about being able to see the big picture. It is equally important to be able to shift your perspective according to the demands of the situation. At times, you need to see the strategic picture as a whole – the objectives, interdependencies, risks and impacts. On the other hand, the very next moment may require a detailed examination of an individual phenomenon, work stage, process, critical interface or any other issue essential to decision-making.

When examining the strategy of an organisation or a European university alliance (such as PIONEER), everything may appear clear, logical and coherent when viewed from high above. The arrows point in the right direction, the objectives are aligned, and the whole appears well-managed. But when the drone descends closer to the operational level, we may notice friction in processes, ambiguities in responsibilities or practical obstacles that cannot be detected from a higher level of observation.

On the other hand, excessive and repeated immersion in the details can lead to us losing sight of the bigger picture and no longer being able to grasp the phenomena within it and the connections between them. At such times, we must take a step back and clarify how a specific issue relates to strategic objectives, or what impact a particular decision has on other parts of the organisation.

The strength of the drone metaphor lies in movement

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the drone analogy, however, is the remote control. A drone does not fly by itself. The drone operator makes conscious choices using the remote control about what to look at and how. The same applies to leadership. The big picture does not emerge by chance; rather, it is shaped by choices. Where do we direct our attention, what do we set aside for a moment, where do we linger a little longer, and where do we seek further information? The strength of the drone metaphor lies in the fact that it helps us to change our perspective smoothly, naturally and, above all, in a controlled manner.

With a drone, we can examine the same phenomenon repeatedly from different angles and at different distances. In this way, the overall picture is not built on a single fleeting observation, but is structured as the result of a considered and multifaceted examination. So, we no longer view the world from a bird’s-eye view, but begin to operate from a drone’s-eye view. We should develop our own and our organisation’s ability to rise high, grasp the bigger picture and look into the distance. Where necessary, we should zoom in and delve into important details, change our perspective, step back, review our assumptions and examine the same phenomenon from multiple angles before drawing conclusions and making choices.

Author details

Mika Launikari, PhD, MSc (Econ), works at Laurea in the field of international higher education cooperation, where he is responsible for collaboration with ten European partner universities within the PIONEER Alliance on the sustainable development of cities of the future.