Need a new mindset? (#305)
The Confident Leader
BOOST YOUR LEADERSHIP IN UNCERTAIN TIMES
Kathleen, a relatively new CEO scaling her company, sat down and asked me why she could nail a board presentation, but one week later fumble a similar meeting, with the exact same prep behind both.
She wasn’t rattled by the work. She was rattled by not knowing which version of herself was going to show up.
“Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.” — Charles Swindoll
This Week’s Edition
If you’ve ever said, “I need to shift my mindset,” this newsletter is for you.
Determine which of the four mindsets is right for your next leadership situation.
Clarify Your Thinking
Preparation was never the issue for Kathleen. She always nailed that part of the job.
Fumbled leadership performances caused her to wonder, “what’s going on?”
She thought that if she just tried harder, the problem would be solved.
But you can’t out-prepare a mindset you haven’t named. Same way you can’t outrun a bad diet.
She was unaware of the fact that there are four different leadership mindsets.
She had been living them without knowing they were different from one another:
“You got this!” – in the flow
“You can’t do this.” – doubt!
“She’s better than you at this.” – intimidation.
“I’m not sure, but I think I can figure it out.” – determination.
Here’s what most leaders miss. When you’re in doubt or intimidation, it feels like proof. Like you really are an imposter.
You’re not.
Feelings are real, but they don’t always tell you the truth. This is a thinking problem, not a verdict on who you are. And the moment you know it’s your thinking, you can change it.
Old Thinking: My results are inconsistent, so I need to tighten up my preparation and process.
New Thinking: My preparation is fine. I need to know which mindset I’m leading from before I walk in.
Thoughts Lead to Actions
The leaders who perform on command aren’t the ones who feel ready every time.
They’re the ones who know in about four seconds, which mindset they’re in, and adjust before they open their mouth.
Before you can pick your mindset, you have to be able to name it. There are four. Learn them cold.
Monkey On Your Back. The voice that says you’re no good. Loud, fast, and almost never accurate.
Intimidated. Comparing the 100% of you to only the part you know about someone else. You lose that comparison every time.
Natural. Flow. The zone. Real, and rare. About 20 percent of your leadership time if you max it out.
Determined. Your intentional growth gear. Not the most comfortable, but the one where your development actually happens. This is the one you can choose on purpose. It comes down to one question: what are you willing to risk? Failing, looking silly, being unsure in front of people? Say yes and you’re in it.
Quick Assessment:
Are you aware of which mindset you are in?
Is it working for you?
If not, choose your mindset.
Your mind is powerful. You control your mind. You have a choice in every situation.
Power Questions:
- Which of the four mindsets am I in right now?
- What is the voice in my head actually saying, word for word?
- If it’s Monkey or Intimidated, what would Determined do in the next ten minutes?
- Am I comparing my behind-the-scenes to someone else’s highlight reel?
- What is the one thing I can choose on purpose right now, regardless of how I feel?
Kathleen felt relief knowing that if she found herself in the Monkey on Your Back or Intimidated mindset she could shift into the Determined mindset.
Knowledge is power. Knowing your options opens up better choices and better states of mind.
Boost Your Performance
Want to catch the mindset running your day before it runs your meeting? This week’s video walks the four-state map in under two minutes.
What’s Your Opinion?
Which of the four mindsets quietly costs you the most in a normal week, and what tips you off that you’re in it?
I’d love to hear your thoughts: robin.pou@robinpou.com
If you are going to be a leader, you might as well be a good one. Don’t let doubt count you out. Have a confident week!
Robin Pou, Chief Advisor and Strategist
We live to make bad leadership extinct so forward this newsletter to others who strive to be confident leaders.
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What is “The Confident Leader”?
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, I began a video series called “Panic or Plan?” It was designed to equip leaders to navigate the doubt they experienced and to rise in the confidence they needed to lead during turbulent times. It took off. I then started this newsletter to equip leaders in the same fashion each week for the doubt that crashes across the bow of their leaderSHIP.
