REPOST: CELEBRATING THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF LEADERSHIP AND THE ART OF STRUGGLE

I recently read Leadership and the Art of Struggle by Steven Snyder on a flight from Chicago to Portland. Snyder does a great job summarizing many of the struggles that leaders deal with on a daily basis and provides solid advice on how to overcome them.

I found his section on the difference between a “fixed mind set” and a “growth mind set” very beneficial and applicable to the way leaders deal with everyday challenges.

Snyder suggests that a fixed mind-set works on the assumption that our abilities are innate and not subject to change.  A growth mind-set is based on the belief that our ability level is nothing more than a snapshot in time and eminently changeable as we continue to learn and develop. Snyder states:

“When people attribute their good performance to their innate ability, they tell themselves that effort and learning don’t make much difference.  Consequently, they select safer, less challenging routes where they can be assured of success, a pattern that further stagnates growth.”

I have seen several examples of this condition where success creates complacency. The old saying “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it” becomes the business structure eliminating the potential for growth.  Snyder goes on to say that:

“A leader with a growth mind-set is consciously aware that ability is not innate and unchangeable but instead a malleable quality that can continuously be augmented through practice and persistence.  In a growth mind-set, you pay conscious attention to cultivating abilities through continuous learning.”

He goes on to suggest that we can adapt a growth mind-set by increasing our awareness through reflection.  I believe Snyder hits the nail on the head with this.  For me, reflection had become a vitally important part of my progression as a leader as well as building my business.

In today’s competitive market, we are forced to focus on growth if we want to survive. Staying where you are will ultimately lead to failure.  In any business, we need to constantly think of ways to do more with less and focus on fresh ideas and progressive thinking.  I believe that this is best done during reflection.

When overwhelmed by the everyday challenges of life our mind is task oriented to solve the issues at hand or simply start “checking off the list.”  The list generally includes all those things you have to do that relate to what is already been done or needs to be completed.  Sending out invoices. Scheduling appointments.  Writing proposals.  All these are necessary but do not really grow our business or ourselves.

We have to make time to ask the questions that haven’t been asked and do the things we have not done before. This is where growth takes place.  So if you want to work from a growth mind-set and leave the fixed mind-set behind, maybe you need to take some time to reflect.

Challenge yourself today to find that place and time to just kick back and reflect on some of those questions that you have not answered yet.  Maybe reflection is what you need to even ask those questions to begin with!

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Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com      3/22/13            photo by author