Mindsets of Today's Top Leaders

Why do some leaders rise to the top? While there surely isn’t one simple answer, there are some important common elements we can look at. One key area to look into when it comes to studying top leaders is their mindsets. We all have different mindsets that govern the way we see our work, and the most successful leaders often have several mindsets in common. Let’s take a closer look at how these professionals think:

They believe in the potential for greatness.

Do you believe that your team has the ability to grow? Is there space to continue improving? Is the success you want for your team possible? The best leaders answer these questions with a yes. This doesn’t mean they have perfect teams and no bumps in the road. But despite the challenges, they stay connected to this focus on potential. They know that growth is the foundation of success, and they have faith in their team’s ability to learn, evolve, and progress. This is not only inspiring for leaders, but it also has a significant impact on the way they interact with and motivate their team.

They see failure as an opportunity.

As we mentioned above, successful leaders aren’t successful because they don’t encounter challenges. They’re successful because they know how to respond to those challenges. Failure is probably the biggest challenge we encounter as leaders. It’s never easy when your team misses a target or comes up short on a goal. But leaders who focus on the negative here miss out on a major opportunity for progress. Top leaders know how to use failure. No one wants to fail, but when it happens, you’re in control of what happens next. When a team fails, leaders first look to their own role in the failure. They look for areas in which they can learn and improve themselves. Then they bring this same mentality to their team. It’s not about blame or fixating on the negative. They show their team how to come back stronger by finding the lessons available in any failure.

They’re not above their team members.

This mindset reflects servant leadership — leaders who view themselves in service to their team members as opposed to benefiting from their work. Leaders who prioritize their team members’ needs and commit to contributing all they can to better each individual employee are usually able to elevate their entire team. By focusing on the ways in which they can serve their team, these leaders ensure employees feel supported and have the tools they need to thrive. These are the elements that allow a team to excel.

They value the exchange of ideas.

The best leaders are eager to learn from their team members. They aren’t shouting orders from a megaphone. Instead, they know the best communication is a two-way street. Sure, they’ll have information to share with their team members, skills to teach, and feedback to provide. But they also value what their employees have to share with them as well. This helps leaders form stronger connections with their teams, empowers employees to see their full potential, and allows teams to benefit from the power of different perspectives and ideas coming together.

What do top leaders have in common? This is an important question to ask if you want to learn from today’s best leaders. By looking at the mindsets that many successful leaders share, we get a glimpse into what makes them tick. It gives us an opportunity to explore our own mindsets around leadership and make adjustments where necessary. Are there other mindsets you find particularly beneficial for leaders? I’d love to hear your thoughts.