by Norman Halls, contributor
Companies and employees with a predetermined mindset remain secure around their first impressions. Favorite comments that have been heard many times: “We can’t do that. It won’t work. or We’ve never done it that way before.” Author unknown. With fixed mindset, companies and staff give up in the countenance of setbacks. They believe they have concealed something they are not good at, and they would rather continue on to pursue what they are good at.
A mindset is a set of assumptions, methods and ideas held by an individual or exercised by a group. In practice, mindsets are everywhere around us, as evidenced by people’s adoption and acceptance of certain behaviors or choices that are already established; most often, these mindsets are referred to as rules or conventions. With regard to the innovation equation, mindsets can be very good or very bad established norms — it just depends on what is involved in each set. Reference at www.norhalsgroup.com. Think about a mindset this way: If employees subscribe to a common belief that things are great as-is, the result may not be bad. “However, such situations will most likely not produce innovative solutions for the company or its customers. Conversely, if employees exercise free-thinking and embrace change — rather than follow lock-step compliance or allow blind acceptance of the status quo — they are more likely to create situations that produce problem-solving, market-ready products and services. In other words, innovative solutions will result.” Written By: Erica Brown
“A growth mindset believes that a person’s true potential can grow through learning effort, experiment, and determination. The ability to stick to something, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of a growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.” By Pam Mracle
How does a mindset manifest itself? It controls the ways you talk to yourself in the privacy of your own head. Recognizing this fact is the first step to achieving a growth mindset. “As you approach a challenge, that voice might say to you, ‘Are you sure you can do it? Maybe you don’t have the talent’ or ‘What if you fail–you’ll be a failure,’ the post explains, adding that, as you hit a setback, the voice might say, ‘This would have been a snap if you really had talent.’ Pay attention to your thoughts and see if you frequently tell yourself anything similar. Fix the mindset at work by undermining your potential for success.” By Jessica Stillman
Some of the components that make up this mindset for business success:
- A focus on “we” rather than “me”
- Looking at what is best for the group, team, or project
- Great interactions between team members
- Alignment of purpose or goal
- Willingness to continually learn
- Having an open mind, and willingness to hear from other team members, or experts
- Willingness to entertain multiple strategies at the same time
- Willingness to learn from past relevant experiences
- Not afraid of technology, and willing to use new ones to support interactions
- Understanding the proper collaborative tool for different types of interactions
- A willingness to enter into and work through conflicts
“Main Takeaway: every business decision you make today affects your business today, tomorrow, and in the future – so become a good strategist. A good strategist looks at all facets of their business today in context of where they are trying to go. A good strategist reacts to problems positively instead of negatively. A good strategist also welcomes change and turns it into an opportunity. A good strategist can react quickly with the unexpected. A good strategist has a business mindset.” By S. Duncan
