GROWTH MINDSET, FIXED MINDSET

Growth Mindset: "I believe in you"; "There is a way"; "I just need time to figure out how to make the
connection necessary to drive the learning of those I serve"; "I haven't figured it out yet"

Fixed Mindset: "You're not good enough"; "They're not good enough"; "They will never get it".

Growth Mindset drives solutions focused curiosity to figure out how to facilitate the growth of those you serve.  Growth Mindset drives motivation in those you serve.

Fixed Mindset drives unconcern for a solution, by placing the responsibility for a solution fully on the follower, absolving the leader from any accountability in the growth process.  Drives apathy in those you serve.

Carol Dweck is brilliant at pulling back the curtain on Mindset and Motivation in her TedTalk "The power of yet".  Watch it and let me know how Dweck's presentation influences your leadership.

IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD...

Admiral William H. McRaven lays it down!  If you want to change the world...

1. Start each day with a task completed
2. Find someone to help you through life.
3. Respect everyone.
4. Know that life is not fair
5. Know you will fail often.
6. Take some risks.
7. Step up when the times are toughest.
8. Face down the bullies.
9. Lift the downtrodden.
10. Never, ever give up.

Hook 'Em Horns!!!

MISTAKE RESPONSE

Sunday was my Son's recital.  Its always fun to watch all the piano and guitar students perform a
wide array of songs.

We always encourage Tobias to do his best and work through mistakes.  While it would be nice if Tobias became a concert pianist, that is not our focus.  Our focus is that Tobias have fun, work hard to be his personal best, learn to work through adversity and stay focused on the task and solutions even when things don't go as planned.

Tobias practiced his songs everyday for the past few months.  He performed the tunes perfectly in rehearsal.  He was so confident that right before the start of the recital Tobias asked his piano teach Graham if he could perform an additional song.  In his excitement to perform, he made some mistakes.  Watch the videos below (first the rehearsal, then the actual performance) and observe his mistake response.  He doesn't miss a beat!! He goes right on as if no mistake was made.  He solves the problem and successfully performs all three songs.  Interestingly enough, most of the students had little hiccups in their performances.  What impressed me most was how all of them worked through the little problems and persevered and accomplished the task.  They demonstrated a great mistake response.

How do you respond and react when you make mistakes?  How do you respond and react when your constituents make errors?  What can you learn from the attached mistake response from this seven year old boy?

Deeper question, how has your discomfort with making mistakes affected the goals you have pursued in life?

WHY GOOD LEADERS MAKE YOU FEEL SAFE

What is it that good leaders do that makes followers perform at a high level for the organization?  

Simon Sinek nails it when he says that "Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe".  In this TED talk, Sinek enlightens us on how followers feeling safe inspires collaboration and looking out for each other.  When followers feel threatened, it's every person for themselves and employees do not work together to drive organizational or team objectives.  Sinek shares some best practices of how some organizations have walked the talk of ensuring everyone feels safe.  Sinek also shares the transformational results those organizations have realized.