FOCUS AND DIFFUSE THINKING

A tracker’s guide to better decision making

On a cold winter morning, a tracking team is searching for a lion. One tracker spots the trail of a Cape Turtle Dove on top of a lion footprint. This small detail reveals a key insight—the lion moved the day before because doves don’t usually move early in winter.

Missing this clue would have important consequences. But noticing it and connecting it to the bigger picture is what makes a successful tracker.

(A dove's trail over the lion track provides the tracker with crucial information about the track's age.)

To do this well, a tracker must blend both “focus” and “diffuse” thinking. They must focus on the specifics but also step back to see the broader context. This balance allows for better decision-making in the bushveld.

Just like in tracking, the choices a leader makes early on can have significant consequences. A poor decision wastes time and energy. These are precious resources that are just as valuable in the workplace as they are in the wild.

Leaders who balance focused and diffuse thinking can effectively address two significant priorities: it improves their understanding of the technical details and connects those details to the bigger picture.

Both are critical for making better decisions.

(Trackers focus on the detail of animal traffic in the Limpopo river.)

Focus thinking is about zooming in. For a tracker, this means paying close attention to footprints, broken branches, or scat—vital clues that help them figure out the animal’s path. It’s intense, methodical, and analytical.

Diffuse thinking is about zooming out. This means stepping back from the details and expanding awareness to the surroundings. It allows the tracker to predict the animal’s behaviour based on things like food, water, and cover. This broader view helps them speed up and make better decisions. It’s more relaxed and creative.

In the workplace, leaders need both modes of thinking. It’s like solving a puzzle where you’re looking for both the pieces and the picture on the box at the same time. The leaders who master this skill are the ones who make faster, smarter decisions.

To bring this to life in an organisation, two things are needed:

Awareness of both thinking modes and how they can help.
A team culture that values both.

Some people are naturally more focused, digging into details and analysing every step. Others are more diffuse, connecting dots and exploring possibilities.

The key is to create an environment where these different thinking styles complement each other without judgment. When that happens, decisions are better informed, creative, and longer-lasting.

Decisions made in this environment are less prone to snap judgments and more likely to gain full commitment.

(Expert tracker Renias Mhlongo looks up, connects the dots, and predicts the lion’s direction of movement.)

To know whether you are focus or differ dominant, consider this question:

When approaching a problem, do you prefer to have all the facts and analyse each step before forming a conclusion?

Yes: Likely a focus thinker.
No: More inclined toward diffuse thinking.

Here are some more questions to help your team strike the right balance in decision-making:

Does your team have a good mix of thinking styles, or does it lean one way?
Are you working together to harmonise these differences?
How can you make your team feel safe sharing their unique perspectives?

Breakthroughs occur when focus brings clarity to the details and diffuse thinking uncovers hidden connections. The wisdom comes not from choosing one over the other, but in mastering the flow between intense clarity and expansive insight.

When these two thinking modes converge, real vision takes form.

As you embark on your journey with Tracking Success, you will be stepping into a tradition that stretches back to the very beginnings of human history.