Mindset Management

I meet and work with many individuals in leadership roles at all levels and ages who love to use the word “mindset”, but don’t really understand how to take charge of their “mindsets”. This occurs both individually and with the teams of those leaders and individuals. They use the word mindset in hopes that the use of word alone will be sufficient to get the right behavioral change results.

Well… “news flash”-everyones interpretation of mindset can be very different. Mindset is plural and not singular-so it’s “mindsets”. And…when was the last time a behavioral habit was formed by only one expression of a word or one rep?? We’d be a very different world if that was the case.

Mindset management is the combination of factors: beliefs, priorities, attitudes and behaviors. Beliefs are created by our environment, experiences, skills, emotions and identity. All those factors must be considered when seeking to manage their own mindset or help their teams to.

To apply those factors, an individual needs to consider and apply:

+Setting and controlling behavioral outcome intentions

+Managing ones self-talk and emotional levels (big derailers)

+Taking in feedback and willingess to adapt

Don’t fall into the leadership trap of believing that just because you use the word “mindset” that everyone on your team “gets” what you mean by it. Be specific (“what I mean by this is…”). Put it in context. Validate your message. Be clear on what you are seeking as behavioral outcomes.