An open or fixed mindset?

As we now have four generations in the workforce, a more collaborative approach to all phases of projects and work overall is required. We do see some leaders in organizations being more disconnected from the reality of the workplace than we do in other areas, but this dynamic is not a function of age. Of course, it can be, and we do see a correlation between age and an unrealistic view of how the workplace operates, but it is more a product of being closed and narrow-minded rather than having attained a certain age.

How do you know which end of the spectrum people are operating from? How do you know if they hold the detestable view that they know better than almost all others? It is an important element of their world view to understand. People who feel that they are smarter than others have a wide range of views and beliefs that are less than optimal in the workplace.

One way to discover how people think is to ask questions. Sounds simple, but, in general, people do not ask enough questions. You will often hear people exclaim, "How could I have known?"

You could have asked. That would have helped uncover some of the mysteries that seem to evade our view and comprehension.

One of the reliable indicators of whether someone leans toward the open-minded, collaborative end of the spectrum is whether they hold a view that lifelong learning is a key to being and remaining relevant. Not only do they say that they believe in lifelong learning, but do they engage in it? Do they support their teams in learning on the job? Do they send their employees to other business units to immerse themselves in operations to learn how things work on a day-to-day basis? Do they ask questions of others and genuinely seem interested in learning from other people on a consistent and continual basis?

An open mindset has little to nothing to do with enrolling in classes or obtaining a degree or degrees. Actually, some people who are most strident about getting additional degrees have the least amount of interest in learning. They are concerned with showing how smart they are, not about learning. This segment of the population is characterized by a fixed mindset. They were told, or have come to believe, certain fixed principles such as they are always the smartest people in the room or that they do not need to listen to the opinions and ideas of others. This is the type of person that you do not want on your analytics team. Their obnoxious, inpidualistic, and corrosive views only diminish the value created by the advanced analytics and AI team.

An additional characteristic to be wary of in people with a fixed mindset is that, in their view, all trouble, failure, and delay emanates from others. It is hard for this group of people to see that they can be the source of poor ideas, and the way that they approach a task can increase the probability of failure, and how they act and show up in a group can be a primary or a substantial contributing factor in the group not achieving its goals. It is difficult to impossible for these people to take responsibility for their role in failure or anything less than complete success.

This mindset manifests itself in paranoid reactions, blaming others, and an inability to accurately view their roles in projects and outcomes.

Lifelong learning is a mindset, a world view that is about being curious, engaged, and inquisitive about life, business, people, and their realities. These are the best people to have on your team.