Mindset is Your Secret Leadership Weapon
Elite athletes learn this from the bottom up. A diver doesn’t start on the reverse 1½ somersault with 4½ twists off the 3-meter board. (This dive is currently ranked as the most difficult dive at the Olympic games.)
Even before a wee diver plunges off the side of the pool, parents start with mindset coaching.
*“You can do it!" *
From the earliest stages of starting something new to an elite level of performance, mindset plays a critical role.
Mindset is the framework that everything else is built.
When leading a team, most leaders focus on the result.
- Did you plan your work?
- Did you make your calls?
- Did you close the sale?
- Did you upsell the experience?
- Did you follow up?
Focusing on the result works when the answer is yes.
What happens when the answer is no?
The leadership challenge is when some team members succeed,
and others struggle with the exact same task.
When you are time-pressured and tell yourself you’ve done all you can, most leaders give up.
I recall coaching a team of program managers on how to launch a simple version of a program before it was “perfect” in order to get feedback in real time.
One manager struggled with the concept of “good enough”. He would ask over and over about red flags and worst-case scenarios. In the same period, other managers would launch their programs, and be well down the path of getting feedback for the next phase.
Time and time again he would map out a plan, only to come back with more questions.
It turns out, he didn’t have a “how to” challenge.
He had a “what if” challenge.
- What if I get it wrong?
- What if I get it right and I’m overwhelmed by the response?
When you see team members struggle to get things done, focusing on the result is only a fraction of the picture.
Mindset tells a bigger story.
Mindset is more than a “frame of mind”. It is the operating system for what we feel, think, do, and say.
Using this model as an empathy map helps you gain a broader perspective.
When you find yourself at a fork in the road, and not sure what else you can do to support someone. Instead of giving up, or resorting to ultimatums, try this instead.
Mindset coaching questions:
Feeling:
How would achieving this make you feel?
How does not achieving it make you feel?
A year from now, how would you feel if you did not accomplish it?
Thinking:
What is your plan?
What are you avoiding?
What negative thoughts come up for you in trying to carry this through?
Doing:
What is your first step?
Is it on your calendar?
Do you have the right tools to complete the task?
Saying:
What are you saying to others about doing this work?
What are saying when the work is done?
What are you saying when you get stuck?
We all know that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in the travel industry. It's been one heck of a ride. There is no better time than to invest in the coaching skills that will bring out the best in you and your team.
Try mindset coaching - your secret weapon for good!