Do you and your team have the mindset to thrive and grow in the ‘new normal’?

For the majority of the last 12 months, we’ve been facing an unprecedented amount of change. Change that we haven't seen coming or chose in any way. And although we’re still in transition, and having to find our ways to deal with what's right in front of us, we are also facing yet another challenge - the challenge of creating what the future - the ‘new normal’, will look like. 

While we may feel that these changes are out of our hands, we do, however, have control over how we respond. And how we respond is defined and comes down to our mindset. So, whether - as individuals, teams and organisations - we create the future we want for ourselves, or take defensive action just to assert our current position, is entirely down to us.

Because mindset is the way we interpret our most basic qualities, what’s happening to us and around us – and what’s possible for us. 

Depending on how our mindset has formed, the interpretation can be empowering or discouraging; you might have been programmed for growth – or survival.

Let me ask you this: Do you and your team have the mindset to thrive and grow in the ‘new normal’?

Research by the Mindset Practice - that I am an associate with - found that when UK professionals have a mindset of ‘growth’, they have significantly higher levels of resilience, wellbeing, self-responsibility and learning agility. 

However, prior to Covid-19 pandemic, only 37% of UK professionals had a ‘growth’ mindset. A performance-limiting 63% were in ‘survival’ – a mindset associated with significantly lower levels of resilience, wellbeing and engagement, and a resistance to change and learning.

When we’re in ‘survival’, we tend to be defensive, judgmental and critical. We struggle to acknowledge our own strengths and accept compliments. We’re also more reactive, which frequently leads to overwhelm and, ultimately, emotional detachment. We become harsh to ourselves as well as others, often blaming others for our circumstances, and, at the same time, avoiding conflict and staying in our comfort zone. 

 When we are in growth, we are much more curious and adaptable, present and compassionate - towards ourselves and others. We are proactive and solutions-focused, open to sharing and acting on what is true for us, and with that, stretching outside of our comfort zone.

Can you now imagine what you and your team and organisation could achieve if you consistently showed up with a mindset of Growth? 

Whether we create a culture of fear and blame where many are working in siloes, or a culture of openness, honesty, proactiveness, innovation and collaboration, is down to individuals who create - and especially - lead that team or organisation. 

What's important to realise is that everyone has the potential to operate from a mindset of Growth (and my group and individual mindset coaching solutions enable just that), even though, at times, it can feel hard to realise or be aware of that. 

We all have an innate ability to own our learning, develop new growth habits to look after ourselves, manage change and embrace new challenges. However, we are also all human, and it’s normal to move more towards survival when we feel threatened. Our brains are designed to protect us, to look for threat - that’s just your brain’s job!

At a psychological level, it’s normal to flip between feeling okay and not okay especially in times of such unprecedented and emotional change. But what we must not underestimate is the power that we hold as individuals over what we focus on and our ability to learn, recognise and change our emotional state, and - in turn - choose what will prevail in our reality, on the individual, team, organisational and global level. 

Contact me for a non-obligation conversation about how you can enable the mindset of Growth within yourself, your team and your organisation.