Discover / Question / Transition / Harness Mindsets

Mindsets can be like bullies. They bother you till you confront them. Then they go away. As human beings we cannot operate without mindsets. I have an open mind is also a way of looking at things — and hence a mindset. Hence the need is to transition the negative, discouraging, threatening mindsets to positive, encouraging, supportive mindsets.

Like talents and abilities mindsets can also be acquired, altered and transitioned. One way to do so is to relentlessly question mindsets. The ‘bad’ mindsets have been formed by experience and inputs over many years. Not all those learnings were correct and not all those experiences are now relevant. Yet they stay with me like loyal but not useful friends. Asking penetrating, thoughtful questions to the self is a powerful tool to drive away these fault lines of the mind.

Questions can help identify the mindsets that need transition – and then assist in making the transitions. Most of the questions are directed to the self though I can use friends and family as sounding boards too. I just need to make sure that these are real sounding boards and not echoing boards – people who agree with me because it is comfortable to do so.

Some discomfort is natural to convert my limiting thoughts to liberating ones. Am I willing to go through that period?

The generic questions can be

• What is this mindset about? How can it be described? Can I write in a few words? g. in my mind making a career transition is not for me
• Is this mindset supported by some real data/facts/examples? Why? When did I last make a change? What was the difficulty? How people like me make such changes? Do they succeed?
• Is there any other interpretation possible for these facts? Is it possible that the difficulties that I faced in the past may not be true anymore? Is it possible that I am stronger and more equipped now?
• What is the mindset doing for me? What am I gaining from it? What could I be losing? Not making the transition can expose me to risk of stagnation and even termination. I am gaining short term comfort – is it realistic that this will remain?
• What would I lose if this mindset went away? What could I gain? If I did start believing that I am as capable as anyone else to make a transition what would change for me? What would I gain or lose?

There could be many more questions – but these are enough to get my mind ticking.

Broadly there are two sides to every mindset the limiting one and the liberating one.

Limiting mindsets are exemplified by statements like

## I have tried everything ## I know this will not happen ## First tell me what is the use of changing things? ## I do not think I can change now ## This old way is the best way forward ## Experience is a great quality and I must always respect it ## People do not understand how this really works ## Quality of inputs is low these days ## My team is pretty average I really need to get some new people in ## Under the given conditions I am doing the best.

Liberating mindsets are exemplified by statements like

## What have I not yet tried? ## There is more to be tried ## I cannot decide it will happen or not till I have tried it ## Change is good for the human body, mind and spirit ## Experience must be honoured not worshipped ## I may not change but trying is a must ## Most people are helpful and understanding ## I cannot control what comes to me – I can impact what goes from me ## I am doing my best. Now how can I better that?

Which are the statements I associate with? Which are the ones that I use frequently? That can give me an idea about what kind of mind-sets I normally work with. And give me the power to confront them or modify them.

As an executive coach I come across typical mind-sets that people operate with. More of that soon.

Balloons & Mindsets

Imagine a few balloons tied to your body. Some to your hands. Some around your waist.  A few at the legs – and others around your neck. Mindsets are like these balloons. If the balloons are filled with helium or hydrogen they have the power to lift you. These are your lifting mindsets. If the balloons do not have the right gas they get entangled when you try to move. They become drags.  As you clear one entanglement another one starts. These balloons are like beliefs that have no legs – no basis. They cannot stand on their own but make it impossible for you to move. Where or how can you find some hydrogen or helium to lift you?

Change Enablers

  Four E’s and an O

We all swear by change. We all know it is important. But what does it take? How good are you at it?

To get a handle on how good are you at it ask the following questions.

1. Do you see this as a part of your job? Your key deliverable? It may not be mentioned on your description? Nor may have been specifically asked for. Great change enablers do not wait to be asked. They ask for and create change. They find new ways of working, they find new projects, and they are curious and questioning. When there is no other option most humans change – they do not self destruct. Change enablers are on the other hand proactive.
2. What are the changes that you have made in life and work in the last twelve months? Don’t break them into small change or big change. Just make a list. It maybe a change of a long held belief or a change in some behaviour pattern. All changes count. You may need to reflect a bit for this since human memory is very short. What has been done is taken as a given and consigned to obscure parts of our brain. So how long is the list? If the score is less than 24 (2 per month) go back to the list. If the number does not vary your life is pretty static. 

Wherever you are there are four Es of change that you can consider.

1. Great change agents are good at ‘educating’ themselves and others around them. They have information or they gather it. They share it with others. They build persuasive arguments – logical and / or emotional. They understand that education does not happen in a day so they are patient and do not mind repeating themselves.
2. Great change agents have empathy. They can see things from another viewpoint. This helps them take a more considered picture and marshal their arguments accordingly. It also helps them adopt give and take behaviour patterns to get things moving. They do not mind losing battles to win wars. Mind you – this does not mean that they compromise on their goals or the objectives of change. They try and get their but in a manner which understands and accepts others and works around it.
3. Great change agents also encourage. They are always looking for what is possible, what has been done. This is a far more powerful way to make things happen faster. They understand and harness the power of positivism and acknowledgement. And are able to recognise and appreciate even small wins.
4. Great change agents can also be enforcers when needed. They are careful that they use their ‘enforcement’ ability infrequently – say one in a dozen situations. But when needed they are able to demand action from themselves and those around them. 

And finally change is far easier when there is a vision and a purpose. Something which the change enabler believes in from deep inside. Because that is what creates the passion and the energy. Call it what you will – North Star, Goal, Objective, Desire, Destination – but without that the change journey tends to get aborted.

Belief & Reality

I think I can, but …. 

As a executive coach I often come across clients who have beliefs. Beliefs about what they want to achieve, how things should be done, the way the organisation should function and much more. When they share their beliefs the body language changes — they sit up in their chair, there is passion in their voice and their tone generates energy.

In many cases they also share their frustrations. They are perceived as ‘not real’ by their managers and / or colleagues. Their expectations are negated as ‘far fetched’. Their analysis of organisational situations is seen as ‘fuzzy’. They are asked to ‘get real.’ Factor in the ‘reality’ so that realistic goals are developed.  So that targets are exceeded, resources are used optimally, productivity is increased, stock prices move up – and more. 

Belief is a far greater enabler then is given credit for. Clients with strong beliefs deliver more – for their organisations and themselves. Their ‘far fetched expectations’ are a reflection of their above average ambitions. And their ‘fuzziness’ is an ability to see a much larger number of possibilities. 

Belief brings along commitment, passion, energy, excitement, possibilities. Reality brings along doubts, precautions, safety nets, comfort zones, constraints. The challenge of a coach is align these two. And to ensure that recognition of reality does not lead to a suspension of belief for the client.