“Mindset drives and shapes all that we do - how we engage with others and how we behave in every moment and situation.” ~The Arbinger Institute
Our mindset is what influences how we choose to behave and what actions we take. Our mindset also influences the effectiveness of our actions. Ultimately it is our actions and behaviors that drive results - both individually and collectively. In their book, The Outward Mindset, The Arbinger Institute proposes that “Those who attempt to effect change by concentrating on changing mindsets are four times more likely to succeed than those who focus only on changing behavior.”
As leaders we ignore this understanding at our own peril. Leaders can, and often do, use positional power, charismatic influence and stringent accountability measures to achieve results. These strategies generally lead to compliance and don’t lead to sustained change or commitment (and, unfortunately, I can speak from experience on this topic).
In our leadership and in our teams, we are on a continuum of inward or outward mindsets. When we or our teams are behaving in ways that are for our best individual benefit - we are leaning toward the inward mindset. An outward mindset is about the collective good of the team and the team's outcomes. As we as leaders and team members hold ourselves accountable for both our actions and performance - and our impact on others’ actions and performance - we lean into the outward mindset.
For most of us, if we can reflect on times in our lives and careers when we felt the most alive and engaged, we find it was when we were making a difference, impacting change and involved in something bigger than ourselves and did so within a strong team or community. The continued growth and excellence of our organizations asks us to lead the way by setting aside self-interest and becoming more aware of our people and teams. What are their needs, their challenges, what are they trying to achieve, what are their interests? One way to further this outward mindset and understanding is to practice deep listening and use the prompt, ‘Tell me more.’
In what ways can you model and foster the outward mindset in your organization?
[Note: Much of these thoughts and ideas arise from the book - and my reflection - on The Outward Mindset, by the Arbinger Institute.]
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