Here's how you can develop a growth mindset for future challenges.

The thing that sets servant leadership apart is its focus on growth and you can't grow without failure and mistakes. Set reasonable parameters to work within that allow you room for failure without putting yourself or your project in danger of critical failure. Think about these parameters like the net beneath trapeze artist. Once that net is in place, you will be free to try new tricks and learn supreme mastery of old ones. This is how we improve our process, increase efficiency, and innovate.

Don't be afraid to fail...that's the most important aspect of having a growth mindset when also embodying servant leadership. It's important to understand that we can put the bumpers on our bowling lane, but that doesn't mean we're going to execute 100% all of the time. I encourage my team members constantly to find the diamond within a failure and embrace it by chiseling it down to see a different perspective and learn something new. This creates the mindset that every failure is an opportunity, learning lesson, and gifted ability to generate improvements on the go. If we take more time to embody this mindset we become more confident to work in new ways and try different avenues to lead us to our goals.

From my experience of covering the team development challenges of hosting the world's biggest sporting event, the FIFA World Cup in Germany, there are a number of lessons for cultivating a growth mindset to overcome numerous challenges, such as logistical hurdles and high expectations, For example, by fostering a growth mindset, German stakeholders were holding regular meetings and frequent discussions to allow for continuous feedback and adjustments, ensuring everyone was aligned and learning from each experience. By promoting collaboration between various stakeholders, from government bodies to local businesses, the organisers demonstrated the power of collective effort and shared knowledge and inspired an entire nation.

Continuous learning is essential for growth. Set specific learning goals and stay curious, asking questions and seeking new experiences. Leverage online resources and make reading a regular habit. Engage with professional networks and attend conferences for new insights. Reflect on and apply what you’ve learned, and seek feedback from peers and mentors to identify areas for improvement. By incorporating these practices, you can stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world.

With so much change around us, in terms of how we work and operate, or how work-life balance looks like for us, it's important to dynamic and flexible about change. This is where having a growth mindset helps. You are open to learning about your changing environment and people around you. With every experience, try to understand what you've learnt and apply those learnings for next time or similar experiences. When you are willing keep pace with changing needs and priorities of people around you, you are better placed to serve them and keep making an impact.