Making Our Teams and Ourselves More Successful
Making Our Teams and Ourselves More Successful
This week, guest writer Sonya Law walks us through the people skills we need as we work towards making our teams, and ourselves, more successful.
We achieve more as a team when we operate from a place of openness rather than fear – when we chose to thrive not just survive, we achieve more. On the road to getting there you will no doubt come across fear which is the greatest roadblock and inhibitor of growth and missed opportunities.
Recently I was asked to chair the Human Resources Summit for 2021 and immediately I went to FEAR, I said to them I think you have the wrong person. They said no we don’t you are perfect for this; I remember then asking them what makes you think that?
The number one inhibitor of growth is fear. Rather than see the opportunity we sometimes succumb to FEAR.
WHY is that?
Usually it’s our own self-limiting beliefs, the story we tell ourselves that holds us back, the narrative. We believe that we can only do something if we have done it before and we look for evidence that proves or disproves our fear. When we operate in this way it is from what is called a fixed mindset. Whereas a growth mindset is directed toward, I like to try new things. The top three thought leaders and books that explore this in more detail are:
- Mindset, author Dr. Carol Dweck.
- Atomic Habits …author James Clear.
- What got you here won’t get you there …author Marshall Goldsmith.
As Albert Einstein said “We can’t use an old map to explore a new world”.
So, what’s holding you back?
It all flows from your mindset, through the lens of The Biology of Belief by Dr Bruce Lipton PHD says:
Your beliefs become your thoughts.
Your thoughts become words.
Your words become actions.
Your actions become habits.
Your habits become values.
Your values become your destiny.
To put it in a business context, our mindset, habits and values will guide your decision making, willingness to change and appetite for risk, innovation and growth.
So how do we overcome this?
- Self – Awareness, what is our narrative the story we tell ourselves?
- Become a lifelong learner, what matters is what we learn today and even more important what we will learn tomorrow.
- Cultivate a Growth Mindset, be open to feedback and willingness to
A great book that explores this further is The Journey BEYOND Fear, leverage the three pillars of POSITIVITY to build your success, by John Hagel.
Still the journey beyond fear is still a primal one and still many set themselves up for failure because they are not aware and not invested in changing their mindset or habits to orientate themselves toward success. People still diet, even though they know they should exercise and eat a balanced diet and get enough sleep, we can be our own worst enemy by not engaging in healthy HABITS.
It’s the same with FEAR, if fear is a false expectation appearing real, why do we feed ourselves negative narratives about what we are capable of, thus limiting our potential?
How do we explore this further and adopt a practice of self-enquiry to gain insight into why we act the way we do?
Three very important questions to ask yourself:
- What is the story I tell myself?
The Narrative is it consistent with me moving towards achieving my goals.
- Positive: is it enabling?
- Negative: is it Disabling?
- What am I passionate about?
- Positive: Do I focus on what I am passionate about what brings my life meaning, purpose and joy, does it align with my values?
- Negative: Or am I easily distracted and reactive?
- How am I choosing to respond and show up, what energy do I bring into the space? Do I explore opportunities?
- Negative: Do I practice avoidance and blame others.
- Positive: Or do I take responsibility and stay curious.
What are the benefits to a Team of operating from a place of openness rather than fear?
- Openness to explore new ways of solving problems, collaboration,
- Leads to Innovation,
- Which facilitates Growth.
A good leader has vision and can frame the opportunity to be explored by the team. Which allows the team to thrive not just survive, to innovate and grow both professionally and personally with passion.
If you are interested in a presentation on Growth Mindset, please contact Sonya Law from www.slhrconsulting.com.au.