Leadership & You #7

A quick lesson anyone learns when travelling regional and rural Australia is how quickly you must adapt to the unpredictable and ever-changing circumstances regional communities find themselves in. If you cannot adapt – you cannot survive! This requires a special mindset.

To look for and seek solutions. To think ahead and predict potential risks and come up with contingencies. To learn from past experiences and apply lessons learnt to current circumstances. This is a unique quality regional leaders will need to inject into our next generation.

“The important thing is to never stop questioning.
Curiosity has its own reason for existing”
Albert Einstein

A growth mindset informs how we deal with challenges, obstacles, effort, criticism, the will to succeed, and the appetite to persist even in the most challenging of circumstances. The opposite to a growth mindset is a fixed mindset. At times we will all exhibit either a growth or fixed mindset. What is important is to be self-aware when you are defaulting to a fixed mindset.

A growth mindset enables learning. A fixed mindset prevents learning.

Fixed v Growth Mindset

A fixed mindset is closed to learning. Judgmental – avoids exploring new things.

People with a fixed mindset typically:

• aim to avoid failure
• avoid new challenges
• are not prepared to challenge comfort zones
• are satisfied with status quo
• stick to what is known
• never lead innovative thinking
• are not open to or welcoming of constructive feedback
• are always defensive and tend to deflect criticism
• are not self-aware and tend not to critically reflect on learning
• are risk-averse and look for reasons not to do something
• listen to reply
• give up easily – are not resilient

Alternatively, a growth mindset is open to learning and exploring new things – asks questions – is curious.

People with a growth mindset typically:

• are open to learning and continuous improvement
• are prepared to have a go, give things a try
• are not scared to fail
• treat failures and errors as lessons
• can deal with uncertainty and ambiguity
• embrace challenges
• encourage and welcome feedback (treat it as a gift)
• responds to criticism – taking time to critically reflect
• look to personally grow and develop
• sees challenges as opportunities
• are aware of risks and look for ways to mitigate or prevent risks
• listens to understand
• persists at things – are resilient

A growth mindset is a choice:  A growth mindset requires three personal attributes. An ability to:

Look to see – listen to hear

The above attributes help to critically observe the world around you, concentrate on key elements, and interpret what matters. The more you look to see and actively listen… the more wisdom you gain. It is not what you look at that matters – but what you see – looking and seeing are two different things.

Ask questions – be curious

This trait allows you to process what is being observed and zero in on symptoms, causes, opportunities and threats. Knowledge is having the right answer. Wisdom is asking the right question. It is not the answer that enlightens but the questions asked.

Explore the possible – ‘What if’ thinking

‘What if’ thinking is the critical thinking process to explore options, consider scenarios, and understand the ramifications of any key decisions. Scenario planning helps guide the dynamic of predicting and quickly adapting to opportunities and risks as and when they arise.

“You don’t learn to walk by following rules or any guidebook.
You learn by doing and falling over!”
Richard Branson

Finally:

It is easy to be the “critic in the stand” commentating and finding fault in what others are trying to do. It is much braver to be the “player on the field” rolling your sleeves up – having a go at things and giving your best. These are the people we should be applauding and supporting! A growth mindset is what any person requires who decides to give things a go.

Leadership Lesson

The future belongs to the curious. The one who are not afraid to try it, explore it, poke at it, ask questions, and not sit in judgement. Learning is everything you do.

Facta Non Verba – Deeds Not Words