How a leader’s mindset matters

/ AHI Leadership LLC/

A LinkedIn post by Jacob Morgan explores whether it’s “bad” for a vacationing leader to check in with their staff. My response was that it depends on why the leader is checking in. “If they're doing it for compassion, care, and support, and with a sense of balance between their work and life, that seems OK to me. But if they're doing for fear of losing control, lack of trust, "tightening the screws", protecting their turf, then the problem is their negativity/stress/fear and not whether they're checking in.”

When considering the value and impact of literally any leadership activity, a leader’s mindset matters.

Consider these other examples:

  • When terminating an employee, a leader can be unfeeling or arbitrary, or they can be compassionate and thoughtful.

  • When hosting a meeting, a leader can be entitled or controlling, or they can be egalitarian and facilitative.

  • When giving feedback, a leader can be judgmental or shaming, or they can be understanding and supporting.
    When delegating a task or responsibility, a leader can be micromanaging, untrusting, or completely uninvolved, or they can be clear, trusting, and supporting.

  • To achieve their “success”, a leader can be intimidating or threatening, or they can be courageous and kind.

  • When managing a negotiation or conflict, a leader can be divisive, opinionated, or stubborn, or they can be curious, unbiased and open-minded.

  • When checking in with someone at a lower level in their organization (or literally anyone), a leader can be dismissive or detached, or they can be engaged, respectful, and listen deeply.

  • When interviewing a job candidate, a leader can be distrustful, generally doubtful, or implicitly or explicitly biased, or a leader can be respectful, curious, and open-minded.

  • When responding to a disrespectful action directed at them by a colleague, a leader can be vengeful or disrespectful, or the leader can be empathetic and honorable.

  • When responding to a business crisis or threat, a leader can be Hulk or the leader can be Captain America.

In each of these examples of a leader’s activity, the number and quality of possible outcomes and consequences of the activity are tied to the leader’s mindset and go far beyond just getting the activity done.

A leader acting with a negative mindset can limit or destroy trust, engagement, confidence, openness, motivation, and curiosity. A consistent negative mindset is toxic, and negatively impacts not only the leader and their immediate organization but also the company’s culture. One of the main reasons people leave companies is their management or culture.

The personal consequences of acting with a negative mindset can include physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, sleeplessness, weakened resistance to illness and weakened ability to recover, and difficulty in creating and maintaining relationships.

Some examples of a negative mindset include being critical, suspicious, intimidating, disrespectful, defensive, frustrated, indecisive, blaming, shaming, controlling, perfectionist, arrogant, victimized, distracted, unfeeling, and stressed.

A leader acting with a positive mindset can inspire and build trust, engagement, confidence, openness, motivation, and curiosity. A consistent positive mindset is contagious, and positively impacts not only the leader and their immediate organization but also the company’s culture. One of the main reasons people stay with companies is their management or culture.

The personal consequences of acting with a positive mindset can include experiencing more peace of mind, more happiness, better health, more mental and physical energy, and better relationships.

Some examples of a positive mindset include being compassionate, grateful, curious, open, encouraging, creative, expansive, unflustered, empathetic, decisive, and focused.

No one acts with a positive mindset all the time. Unless they take steps to counter it, people typically act with a negative mindset three times more often than a positive one. Based on the circumstances, the urge to act with a negative mindset can be overwhelming. It is not the point to ignore or discount negative circumstances or emotions, but instead to face and work through them acting productively with a positive mindset.

Positive Intelligence® calls a framework to do all this Mental Fitness: “… the capacity to respond to life’s challenges with a positive rather than a negative mindset, impacting peak performance, peace of mind/wellness, and healthy relationships”. [1]

How do you know if you’re acting with a negative mindset? You may hear it from the people around you (professionally or personally), if you take the time to listen, or perhaps ask. You may be experiencing physical, mental, or emotional exhaustion, or stress. You may simply be unhappier than usual or than you would like to be. You may be hearing a lot from your “inner critic” about your own or everyone else’s shortcomings, or about the messed up world we live in.

Or you could take an assessment and work with a coach as a first step toward your self-awareness and a glimpse of the difference acting with a positive mindset could make.

My approach to leadership coaching is focused on leadership attitude, mindset and energy. I coach Positive Intelligence® and Energy Leadership™ and practices contributing to being happier, including self-discovery, awareness, non-judgment, acceptance, and compassion, especially for experienced and senior high tech leaders.

If you are feeling inspired to build, reestablish, or further develop these and other leadership practices, check out my Energy and Mindset Reboot Program, and find out what it can do for you in a free 30-minute Saboteur Discovery Session.

References:

[1] Shirzad Chamine, Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential and How You Can Achieve Yours, Geenleaf Book Group Press, Austin, TX, ©2012 https://a.co/d/3NCZUXZ