How to have an Outward Mindset

Hello Leaders. I recently told a friend of mine that studying pandemics and learning about a massive change period is a lot more to read about than to live through. However, I have been inspired by the innovation and places where we have pulled together. Unfortunately, we have also seen lots of examples of people blaming others, worrying about themselves and just being petty.

I have just wrapped up a 7 class study on the book The Outward Mindset from the Arbinger Institute. I think there are some great lessons from this book that can help you navigate the challenging times that we are all facing. It is even more challenging for leaders as they have to project confidence, make hard decisions and inspire others when they are lacking the answers themselves. Let’s start with a definition of the two mindsets.

Inward Mindset — People choose behaviors that protect and advance their own agenda or best interests. People are self-focused on their objectives and choose behaviors that help them. They see others as objects-obstacles, vehicles or irrelevant when it comes to their agendas.

Outward Mindset—People choose behaviors that advance the collective mindset. Here you see others as people and you understand the other person’s needs, objectives and challenges and take that into account when choosing your behaviors.

I think we would all agree that we would prefer to use an outward mindset and work with team members that have an outward mindset. However, during this challenging time, many people will default to the inward mindset. I find myself sometimes justifying my actions that are good for me or my family but are not great for others (should I only buy 1 package of toilet paper so others can have some or take as many as I can since I finally found some. I hear there is a meat shortage coming, should I buy as much as I can since I can afford it, etc.)

What can you do to get others to change from an inward mindset to an outward mindset? Do you think telling them to change is going to work? Do you think telling them that you have an outward mindset and it works for you will work? Nope! The best way to get others to change is for you to keep an outward mindset and be curious about the other person goals, challenges and  desired outcomes.

One of the challenges of this time period is keeping yourself in an outward mindset. Here are a few tips…

1.    Think about a person who you have an outward mindset towards. Ask yourself what makes this relationship special? What behaviors does this person demonstrate that shows they are in an outward mindset with you? Have you ever been in an inward mindset with them (probably!) What helped you get back to an outward mindset with them.

2.    Think about favorites places you like to go. When you are there how do you feel? My favorite is the back porch of our house at Wintergreen. I feel at peace and love the mountains and valleys that I see. I also feel a sense of possibility.

3.    What others things can help you get to an outward mindset?

a.     Favorite songs; music

b.    Books; poems

c.     Memories

d.    Activities—hiking, running, fishing, writing, etc.

e.     Pet

f.      Other

I want you to notice what happens to you when you think about these things. Now, think about the person that you might have an inward mindset towards. Do you see some possibilities of getting back to an outward mindset? You might start with a shared positive experience. You might share a compliment. You might ask them, what is their desired outcome for our work together? The most important move for you is the most important move! This means whatever you think is right next step, it is the right step.

Good luck during this challenging time. We will always be in an outward mindset but hopefully this gave you some thoughts on how to get back to the outward mindset more often. Let me know how you are doing and what we can do to help you.