Successful Leaders do not fall into place; they plan, prospect, listen, collaborate, self-reflect and seek to improve continuously. They develop a leadership mindset, a set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices that shape how they will think, behave, and inspire others in alignment with organisational goals.
Some may make the mistake of believing a leadership mindset is a fixed set of traits, techniques, skills and a commanding authority. That mode of leadership is outdated and counterproductive in today’s fast-evolving, unpredictable and human-centred business landscape.
Different leadership styles are required for different circumstances and the most influential and impactful leaders will ask themselves not, what is my leadership mindset, but what is my leadership mindset today?
This should be a conscious thought process, where the senior leader behaves like the captain of a ship, continuously considering all of the prevailing challenges and opportunities before adjusting course and ensuring every member of the crew and every instrument at their disposal is set precisely to navigate with confidence while preparing for any unforeseen storms ahead.
The leader must first examine their own skillsets and abilities against the current and future needs of the organisation to set a personal professional development programme. This might need objective structured support from an executive coach.
Leadership mindsets directly influence organisational culture. A leader with an inclusive mindset can foster a diverse, high-performing workplace, while one with an agile mindset can instil a sense of confidence and experimentation during periods of transformation or trust and stability in more difficult times. Regular reflection ensures leaders remain effective role models.
There are four main types of leadership mindset: growth, inclusive, agile and enterprise. Depending on an individual’s position, some may be more relevant than others. Here we look at the four, why and when they might be important and share some of the tips and insights Rialto consultants use when supporting c-suite and senior leadership in professional development coaching.
Coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, a growth mindset is the belief that abilities, intelligence, and talents can be developed through dedication and hard work. Leaders with a growth mindset view failures as opportunities to learn, encourage innovation, and foster a culture where their teams are unafraid to take risks and grow. This is the mindset for CEOs taking the organisation to the next level and senior leadership taking their teams into new territories, whether they be geographical, new markets, new products and services or technology-led business transformation.
For senior leaders, adopting a growth mindset ensures adaptability in the face of technological advancements and market disruptions. By continuously learning and evolving, they model behaviour that encourages teams to innovate and excel.
Leaders with a growth mindset will avoid negatives, using words such as yet and not yet – as in, we have not yet reached our objective to penetrate the new market – and avoiding not as in can not, have not, will not.
They will build energy, drive and positivity into the workforce, celebrating wins and always showing appreciation for the efforts, persistence and attitude of employees rather than focusing on outcomes and failures. When things go wrong, leaders with a growth mindset take responsibility and invite collaboration to learn from the mistake and improve the next iteration.
One prominent example is Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. Upon taking the helm in 2014, Nadella transformed Microsoft’s culture from one rooted in internal competition to one focused on collaboration, learning, and experimentation. Under his leadership, Microsoft embraced cloud computing, pivoted toward AI innovation, and regained its position as one of the most valuable companies globally. Nadella’s focus on “learn-it-all” instead of “know-it-all” is a hallmark of a growth mindset.
An inclusive mindset prioritises creating a workplace where diversity is celebrated and every individual feels valued and empowered. Leaders with this mindset proactively address biases, promote equity, and foster environments where diverse perspectives drive better decision-making.
Research consistently shows that inclusive organisations outperform their peers in innovation. Diverse viewpoints lead to richer ideas, better decision-making, and novel solutions. They also achieve better financial results. Teams that feel more valued and included collaborate better offering peer-to-peer support, reducing unproductive silos and encouraging team loyalty and investment in shared goals.
Leadership with an inclusive mindset understands the value of diversity and equality in promoting organisational reputation, attracting the best talent from the widest possible pool and making companies more competitive globally. They are committed to ensuring diverse voices are heard and incorporated, that individuals from any background, age, culture, gender, sexuality or race and those with physical and mental health issues are genuinely valued equally, not just in tick boxes. They will interrogate their own unconscious bias and ensure all staff are trained to do the same.
Arundhati Bhattacharya, the former Chair of the State Bank of India (SBI), exemplifies inclusivity. As the first woman to lead SBI, she implemented policies to support working mothers, including sabbaticals for childcare and championed diversity in leadership roles. Her efforts helped create a more equitable workplace, breaking barriers for women in the banking industry.
Leaders should always maintain an inclusive mindset but there are times when it should become the priority. For example, where a company works in an especially diverse market or territory or is expanding into a new culture or region. Also, where equality, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) have become an issue risking organisational and reputational damage. Of course maintaining a constant inclusive mindset – and ensuring you have the correct employment procedures and accountable leaders in place to oversee robust EDI framework – should prevent any such issues arising.
Airbnb’s CEO, Brian Chesky, had to prioritise an inclusive mindset to address racial bias during the company’s global expansion. Research showed people with African-American names were less likely to be accepted as guests in some regions and received lower rent. It invited open collaboration from anyone in the Airbnb community to collaborate to find solutions. The property rental platform was transparent about the issue and what it was trying to do. It introduced new features to minimise the issue, enhancing its pro-diversity credentials in an incredibly diverse market.
This has become increasingly important in the wake of the economic shock of the pandemic and the rapid advances and economic transformation propelled by the AI revolution. This has left senior leadership in almost all roles and functions having to learn and adapt quickly. AI is changing the way all processes are done so it is imperative that every senior leader stays ahead of the curve on what is happening in their zone.
An agile mindset is characterised by flexibility, responsiveness, speed, learning, innovation and adaptability. Leaders with this mindset embrace change, experiment with new approaches and are comfortable pivoting strategies when faced with uncertainty or emerging customer needs. It emphasises iterative progress over rigid plans.
It allows leaders to respond quickly to emerging trends and disruptions, ensuring their organisations remain competitive, relevant and resilient. Companies looking to exploit new technologies need to prioritise an agile mindset but agility can also help buffer any unforeseen shocks and issues.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is renowned for his agile approach to leadership. He famously fostered a “Day 1” mindset, encouraging constant reinvention to avoid stagnation. Amazon’s willingness to experiment, such as moving from book sales to an ever-increasing online market, more recently launching the incredibly successful AWS (Amazon Web Services) and pivoting to prioritise Prime membership, reflects its agility in meeting customer needs and staying ahead of competitors.
Leaders with an agile mindset will also empower employees to respond and adapt to change and have confidence in their decision-making. Leaders will free their paths by minimising decision-by-committee, reducing time spent in unnecessary meetings and duplicating work. They will use data-driven processes to create real time feedback loops to help the workforce learn and improve continuously. Mistakes will be reframed as opportunities for learning.
Guardrails must be put in place to spot any outliers or actions likely to lead to serious issues, but that safety net will enable quick responses and the ability to repivot as an organisation when new opportunities or challenges arise, taking along the workforce.
An enterprise mindset involves thinking beyond individual roles, departments, or business units to focus on the bigger picture and organisation’s overall goals. Leaders with this mindset prioritise cross-functional collaboration, align resources to strategic priorities and maintain a holistic perspective to spot and seize opportunities for business success and that of the whole ecosystem. They have a deep understanding of what makes a business work and can think laterally or horizontally as well as vertically.
Being an enterprise leader is like constantly balancing dozens or even hundreds of spinning plates. Recent research by Korn Ferry found that just 15 percent of executives have the quality and skills to do it. Organisations led by enterprise leaders grow 6.7% faster. So, this is an area that leaders should be focusing on developing, demonstrating and exploiting in their careers when looking at executive transition and promotion. It is an elusive skill so may require external support.
Senior leaders with an enterprise mindset can break down silos, foster collaboration and ensure that all parts of the organisation work together towards common objectives. This is particularly important in large organisations where misalignment can hinder progress.
They encourage and support collective decision-making, see the connectivity between different parts of the business and can look forward, like a chess player, at how different moves by different players can be made at the right time to achieve an objective. They can tweak and adjust the strategy effectively in response to incoming pressures and unforeseen issues.
They are, therefore, considerate as to how decisions they make will affect the whole organisation.
Enterprise leaders adopt technology to help stay on top of developments and issues across the organisation. AI-driven platforms are developing sophisticated tools that analyse huge amounts of data for specific prompted questions and uses. Predictive analytics identify issues before they arise or opportunities for new products or markets. They can help isolate areas of underperformance and suggest ways to improve.
They will also think carefully about talent acquisition and retention with an eye always on preparing for the future as well as protecting the brand through compassionate and ethical governance.
However, being an enterprise leader does not mean being an autocratic, micromanaging leader. Jack Ma, co-founder of Chinese retailer Alibaba, knows every inch of his business but empowers and inspires his people to make good decisions to drive growth. He guides and oversees every section, taking responsibility for outcomes. He can see what customers want now and will want in the future and how to deliver it. Unusually He incorporates all four mindsets.
As noted above, these mindsets can not be assumed, they must be developed and constantly adjusted and refined to reflect changing circumstances, organisational goals, stakeholder expectation and other market forces.
Leaders must build periods of self-reflection into their schedules and seek regular, honest feedback from trusted colleagues and mentors to identify blind spots, any personal behaviours or feelings which might be impacting judgement, and look at areas for professional growth. Humility is essential and the ability to take on constructive criticism and advice. A coach can help hold up a mirror and create structured learning opportunities
The leadership mindset is a powerful driver of organisational success, shaping how leaders inspire teams, navigate challenges, and pursue opportunities. From the growth mindset to inclusive, agile to enterprise thinking, each perspective brings unique strengths to the table. However, the true hallmark of effective leadership lies in adaptability—continuously reassessing and refining one’s mindset to align with the demands of an ever-changing world.
Senior leaders who embrace this philosophy not only position themselves for personal growth but also empower their organisations to thrive amidst uncertainty. By adopting the right mindset at the right time, they can lead with vision, innovation, and purpose, ensuring sustained success in a complex, dynamic environment.
If you would like support to develop your leadership mindset, our team of Coaches and Leadership Development specialists can customise a personalised programme, aligned with your personal and organisational goals.
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