This post is about reflection upon our Outlook and associated thinking Habits and how those habits may be hurting or helping our potential for success.
So our question is; What kind of Mindset achieves Organizational Health and creates a foundation for an organization to reach it’s fullest potential and even becomes a Competitive Advantage?
Let’s say you are the leader of your team and your organization is looking for a new team member, say a location manager. Would you simply look at a piece of paper, speak to a candidate for 10 minutes and make a hiring decision?
I bet you thought of a few other methodical steps. Yet many leaders, due to the pace or overload of responsibilities continue to hire using a process that is primarily based upon gut instinct.
First let’s realize a truth about any organization’s culture and the impact that culture has on the potential for success.
“as the leader goes,
so goes the team.”
Next let’s briefly consider the impact of two different kinds of leader. The Fixed Mindset “I” leader vs a Growth Mindset “We” leader.
| Are you a Leader with a "Fixed Mindset" Limited Potential Outlook | Or a Leader with a "Growth Mindset" Fullest Potential Outlook |
|
|---|---|---|
| Outlook | "I" centric | "We" centric |
| Motivation | Serve Me | Serve Community |
| Primary Focus | Analytical | Relational Health |
| Leadership Style | "I" control - Decisions need to all come thru me first | Shared Leadership - Empowerment of others |
| Conflict | Reactive | Proactive plan to listen |
| Communication | Advocacy of personal views | Inquiry of Information |
| Accountability | Guarded - surrounds with enablers | Transparent - seeks truthful feedback |
| Accounting | Closed | Open Book |
| Sales Mantra | Company-centric - How to Close the Deal | Customer-centric - How best to serve the customer |
| Values | Whatever works in the moment | Strong convictions allow consistent clarity |
| RESULTS | Wears many blinders - Limited Potential | Aware of strengths and weaknesses - Builds a leadership team that compliments each other well |