Do you have a learning mindset?
“What got you here won’t get you there.”
Stepping into a new year, 2019, gives you a good opportunity to reflect and think about “what do I want to focus on or change this year”. Through our presence at the HR Norway Conference (HR Norge konferansen 2018), we got the opportunity to reflect upon and discuss the course of professional development in a fast-moving world. A recurring theme of the conference was the importance of adopting a learning mindset. Maybe that should be your focus for 2019!
The business world is undergoing a transformation and, really, no one can tell what it will look like in the future. With such uncertainty about where we’re going, how can we chart a course and the right mindset to get there? There is one thing we do know for certain, it won’t be the same things we’ve always done. We must learn and adapt as we go. One might summarize it by using the title of Marshall Goldsmith´s book, “What got you here won’t get you there.”
What Got You Here
When you look at the past, it’s easy to feel like you know it all, especially if your actions brought success. You can examine that success from all angles, ask questions, and collect data.
The challenge is though, a good idea yesterday might not pay off today… or tomorrow. A good leader recognizes this truism and let go of past ideas if needed. He or she can and should learn from the past, to be certain, but avoid using it as a blueprint for the future.
Leaders sometimes fall in love with their own strategies. Their past success is linked with their identity, so it is understandably hard to let go. A great leader, however, admits to not knowing it all and adopts a learning mindset. He or she is ready for the future to unfold, revealing new lessons that require constant adjustment. Approaching challenges as a “learn-it-all” rather than a “know-it-all” provides a much richer, more fulfilling professional life, with greater chances for success. A “learn-it-all” asks questions, explores opportunities, invites new perspectives, and adjust their course of action accordingly. Such leaders remain relevant, and attract and retain talented people. Companies led by these leaders have a huge competitive advantage.
Learning Will Get You There
So, if what got you here won’t get you there, what will? Consensus at the conference was that the answer is a learning mindset. Today’s leaders must think of themselves as perpetual students. They must avoid the temptation to see only evidence that supports their existing assumptions and, instead, welcome new information.
First, everyone in the organization must know where “there” is, so a leader must set clear direction. However, as they lead the way along the path, they must constantly adjust in response to new information. Many strategies don’t work because all the energy goes into the planning stage. An airtight plan doesn’t leave room to interpolate new learnings as they arise. By contrast, when one approaches a strategy with a learning mindset, the strategy will evolve along the way.
Another key to “getting there” is ensuring that every team member understands their role during the journey. In addition to the big picture destination, each stakeholder needs his or her own objectives along the way. Those objectives should align with each stakeholder’s expertise and operational level. It is up to the leader to delegate in a way that facilitates this.
The leader must help each person understand what the organizational strategy means to them by visualizing a “strategy to me” for everyone. When people do not grasp their own connection to the strategy, they lack motivation and personal investment. What is more, leaders must trust the individuals on their team to accomplish the work. Too often, leaders attempt to hang on to their old responsibilities, particularly in times of transition and burn themselves out. They become too busy to lead.
Once everyone is working at the right level and sets out toward their goal with a clear understanding of their role, they must remain open to change. As a strategy is implemented, every member of the team receives internal and external feedback. Each should learn from the information and adjust as warranted.
Take the First Steps
Achieving the mindset to learn continuously, as a team, may require a shift in thinking at both the individual and the company level. If succeeding with that the potential towards greater efficiency and success is huge.
So, to get started, how do you as a leader know if you have a learning mindset? Test yourself by asking how good you are at:
Asking questions rather than merely providing answers?
Stepping in to a team meeting ready to learn – not just ready to direct?
Recognizing that a great day is a day where I learned something new and/or realized I was wrong?
Test yourself on the above and ask your team and your stakeholders for their view. Embrace whatever it takes to get you to your next milestone. Be humble, listen, and accept feedback.
Once you set the example of a learning mindset, your whole team will be better able to move forward and figure out what it will take to succeed this time around.