We’re living in a digital world where businesses must learn to adapt to the changing landscape if they hope to keep up with the competition. Employees need to feel like they can take risks and try new things within the business in order to reach their full potential.
Having the support of their leader is imperative to their success. They need to feel confident that their leader is a driving force of change and will not punish them in their pursuit of innovation.
The key to running a successful business in an ever-changing landscape is for leaders to adopt a growth mindset and leave a fixed mindset behind.
The differences between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset
In the book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University explains how failure is a contributor to success. Dweck writes: “…people seem to have a special talent for converting life’s setbacks into future successes. ….
In a poll of 143 creativity researchers, there was wide agreement about the number one ingredient in creative achievement the perseverance and resilience produced by holding a growth mindset.
A leader with a growth mindset believes that their employees have the ability to adapt and change. They understand that a person can further develop their talents and abilities. They embrace and welcome the different personalities on their team and know that emotional intelligence is something that can also be improved over time.
If you have a growth mindset, you believe that success comes from working through challenges and constantly developing new ways to tackle an issue. The outcome of a situation isn’t as important as the process and strategies developed in the face of a challenge. Thinking outside the box is rewarded, not frowned upon.
In a fixed mindset, it’s assumed that people are incapable of developing their skills, intelligence, and their personality. A fixed mindset leader makes very black and white decisions about people and strategies. They are highly results-oriented and believe that anything less than 100% success is considered a failure. Failure is a punishable offence, and the rules are meant to be diligently followed. In a fixed mindset, success is the ultimate goal and only acceptable outcome; there is no room for error.
How a growth mindset can lead you and your team to victory
Having a growth mindset means you value your team for their individual strengths and their unlimited potential. You believe in supporting your team’s growth and encourage change. As you encourage innovation, you inspire confidence.
How you can create and nurture a growth environment amongst your team
It starts with you
Before you can implement change among your team and encourage growth, you first need to do some self-reflection. It’s essential that you understand your own emotional limitations and evaluate your motivations as a leader. Reflect on whether you currently have a fixed mindset and what you can do to become a growth mindset leader.
Embrace the change
You will become a more effective leader once you embrace the fact that we live in a digital world that is rapidly changing. By welcoming this change instead of running from it, you are already preparing yourself to encourage meaningful change on your team. It’s important to not only embrace this change within yourself and your team but to implement it within the structure of your organisation and your internal systems.
Be the driving force
Don’t wait for the change to happen to you; encourage it and be the driving force. Take the initiative to always be looking for new ways to be innovative with new technologies and systems.
If you allow your competition to be the leader of innovation, you and your team will always be left scrambling to catch up. You’ll lose your competitive edge and cause stress and anxiety among your employees as they struggle to stay competitive. If you’re the one introducing new systems and encourage upskilling, your team will be more confident and feel empowered in their role.
Embrace failure and reward learning
Failure is an important step on the path to success. You can’t have one without the other. Once you accept this, you’ll have the ability to lead your team through motivation instead of fear.
Embrace failure as an opportunity to teach and as a tool for learning. Praise your team for taking innovative risks and encourage them through their successes and failures. This creates a company culture that encourages staff to push past their boundaries and develop innovative solutions to problems.
It’s part of an ongoing journey
A key element to a growth mindset is that it’s all about the journey, there is no final destination. There is no deadline or end date to embracing change and promoting innovation on your team.
With constant changes within the digital world and your business, there’s no way to reach an end result. It’s essential to accept that this is a process implemented among your team that is constantly ebbing and flowing as you all adapt to the changing world. As long as there is continued improvement, you’re on the right track.
Lead by example
Show your team that you’re putting in the time to continue learning and pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone.
Many employees feel that their leaders are out of touch and can’t grasp the current realities in the workplace. Challenge yourself to grow and evolve with your employees by dedicating time to learning and understanding what it is they do each day.
Earn their respect and trust by taking the time to listen to and learn from them.
The key to success
While you have everything, you need within you to start embracing the change, it can be challenging to know where to start. Xseed Lead is here to help and offers customised coaching to help you develop as a leader. A growth mindset is essential to creating a company culture that aims to retain exceptional employees and attracts quality talent.
An empowering leader can bring out the best in their employees, creating a working environment that people want to be a part of. Team members that respect and trust you are more likely to be a driving force of innovation within your business.
When you free yourself from the restraints of a fixed mindset, you open the endless opportunities and unlimited potential of your entire team.
Contact us at Xseed Lead today if you’re ready to start this new chapter and empower your team through your leadership.
Author Bio
Deborah Knight is the founder of Xsead Lead with a background in organisational and individual leadership and executive coaching.
As a coach, Deborah aims to create an inclusive and respectful space where individuals and organisations can do the work necessary for growth and change. She is also passionate about helping women be valued for themselves while also contributing and being successful.
Apart from her company which she is deeply passionate about, Deborah also loves bushwalking, reading, travelling, and learning new things.
For any coaching or organisational support enquiries Deborah can be contacted via email: info@xseedlead.com.au or via her company website which is www.xseedlead.com.au.
