About a 'winning mindset', change management and creating a movement

As a teenager, I grew up watching Michael Jordan play for the Chicago Bulls and lead them to multiple, consecutive NBA trophies. It was fascinating to see how he dominated the game, and how his determination and sheer willpower seemed to alter reality in favor of his team. In a league featuring the very best players in the world, there was still something that separated the very good from the very best.

So, what is it? What’s the secret sauce? It’s a mix of things: talent (given), work ethics (acquired), and mental conditioning (developed). Talent is a big part of it. Some are born gifted and if this talent shows early in life, it can be nurtured and developed at a young age. But as a famous motivational poster in many locker rooms can attest “Hard work beats talent, when talent does not work hard!”

Proper work ethics, the dedication to do “whatever it takes”, to “turn every stone” and never be satisfied with the status quo lays the foundation for true mastery. The desire to constantly improve, to challenge the norm, and to strive for perfection is the mindset it takes to become extraordinarily good at a particular field. Or, in simpler words “if you’re not moving ahead, you’re falling behind.”

It is said that MJ was not only the most talented player on the field but also the hardest working. Yet, what truly fascinated me (and a million others) was seeing him play on yet another level during crunch time – when everything was on the line. When it truly mattered! He was not afraid to take the ultimate shot, he yearned for these moments. It’s been these all-or-nothing moments when he demonstrated - again and again - that his self-confidence paired with his ability made him the GOTO guy whenever it mattered most. Jordan's drive to win was legendary and it’s best illustrated by a favorite quote: “I’ve never lost a game; I just ran out of time." – perfectly illustrating his relentless pursuit of success.

It's that mental attitude, this winner’s mindset, that separates the very good from the very best. Another example of this phenomenon is Steve Jobs. He was renowned for his “reality distortion field”, his ability to believe something so strongly he could convince others, and as a result of this create a movement. Sort of shaping reality via positive projection, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s about moving from thoughts, to words, and from words to actions. It all starts with the proper mindset and the desire, determination, and dedication to accomplish the extraordinary. Or as Aristotle put it more eloquently: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Those of us less gifted than MJ or Steve Jobs need to compensate lack of talent with proper work ethics, discipline, and consistency to stand out and build truly remarkable things. Giving it your best, day in and day out, is the key to success (and fulfillment.)

Personally, I love competition. And contrary to popular belief competition is not about winning or defeating others, that’s a very modern (and corrupted) interpretation of the word. The word "competition" comes from the Latin "competitio", derived from "competere", which means to strive together, to seek together, or to contend for something. So, it’s much more about setting an (ambitious) goal and working towards achieving this goal, enjoying the process, and measuring the progress.

As we all know too well from business textbook 101 we can only improve what we measure. Or reversed, "What gets measured, gets managed." as Peter Drucker said to emphasize on the importance of measurement in achieving (management) goals and improving outcomes.

In the context of change management, all of the above illustrates the importance of the right mindset. In a corporate setting, understanding the various (emotional) stages accompanying change is instrumental for success. ?We all handle change differently, and in multinational organizations, culture plays a big role.

An important part of how we individually perceive change also depends on whether its origin is internal or external. Often, self-directed change (e.g. as in breaking free from bad habits) is a strong motivational force, while externally enforced change may be perceived as negative. That’s why communication is so important to drive change, however, communication is not enough. Explaining the need for change is one thing (external motivation), realizing the need for change and committing oneself (internal motivation) is another!

The other day, I stumbled upon a classic video: Leadership Lessons from [a] dancing guy by Derek Sivers. Many of you may recall it, but it’s just 3min long and worth watching again. It drives home the message of how important it is for a leader to embrace their first follower and treat them as an equal to form a group that could turn into a movement.

Going full circle, no matter the greatness of Jordan or Jobs, they wouldn’t have been able to achieve anything without forming a strong team around them. A passionate leader attracts talents and people intrinsically driven to do something impactful. A passionate group of people form a movement and shape an (alternative) reality. Hence, it all depends on finding people with a winning mindset and letting them do their thing! Or, by the immortal words of Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has!”