As we head into 2021, the time to adopt a Gift Mindset® is a message I’m passionate about sharing. It is a key trait of any Limitless Leader™ and any organisation.
This mindset is built on having deep awareness and acceptance of the lessons gleaned through either achieving success or facing a challenge and actioning these lessons by sharing them. These lessons or gifts could be a survival guide to someone else and can be a powerful way to contribute to the world and create a workplace culture of openness, connection and contribution.
I have embraced the Gift Mindset® for many years, and as I shared the concept with others, they found that adopting this powerful mindset helped them embrace challenges and successes, both in and out of the workplace.
2021 is the time to adopt a Gift Mindset®, and I am so passionate about the difference this mindset can make that I decided to share this in my 3rd book “Gift Mindset®”- Unwrap the 12 Gifts to lead and live a life of purpose, connection and contribution.
Failing to share your successes and challenges is selfish
Many people feel it’s not their place to share their lessons, for whatever reason.
Sharing a small or large success or challenge you have overcome can start by looking at where you have come from and the lessons (gifts) that have enabled you. The most effective leaders and organisations are the ones who overcome adversity by planting positive seeds, feed them with optimistic energy and then watch the success from this grow and flow on.
In a recent discussion with clients, many shared that they felt self-indulgent, especially when sharing successes. They said they felt as if they were gloating and that their team would see them as egotistical. You may agree but remember this is only the frame that you are giving it. Your belief in this is larger than the desire to share and replicate success. Your ‘why to change this belief’ needs to be bigger than your ‘why to stay the same’. If you can relate to this, take the time to flip your belief and focus on what the benefits of sharing your successes could bring.
Your darkest moments can be your defining ones
Sometimes people feel inadequate sharing challenges they have faced or mistakes they have made. Why? They feel judged and anxious about the response they will receive, fearing rejection – they are coming from a place of fear instead of a place of love. We share more with those we have trust, respect and rapport with on a personal level, and this can be mirrored in the workplace if we foster these traits.
We need to embrace our challenges and welcome sharing these; these are all parts of adopting a Gift Mindset®.
All challenges are vital to our personal development. The more we test our capabilities and limits, the more we will learn about ourselves. If we focus on what it would be like to fail and revert to our comfort zone, there will be no growth.
There are 12 key Gifts we can adopt as part of living a Gift Mindset®, and these are all traits and skills necessary to create and build upon in any role. These gifts are accessible to all of us; we need to untie the bow and unwrap what is hidden inside.
In 2021 I encourage organisations to embed:
‘Motivation Monday’ – sharing what lights you up
‘Win Wednesday’ – sharing successes
‘Failure Friday’ – sharing challenges and discussing the lessons learnt.
This creates a sense of fun and theatre, and a safe space to be open and own your experiences as a team.
One way to motivate others and make sharing successes and challenges a part of your culture is to explore positive: negative ratios. Psychologist John Gottman researched this and found the 5:1 ratio to be the magic ratio, where five positive mentions or moments are shared for every negative one. A study has shown that teams with a positive: negative ratio greater than 3:1 were significantly more motivated.
The key is to keep the sharing truthful and honest. This encourages positive emotion and can have a healthy ripple effect across the organisation.
As we rapidly move into the new year, we are excited to share The Gift Mindset® Culture program and our Gift Mindset® keynotes. If you are looking to embed a culture of purpose, connection and contribution and give your team and organisation this gift, please reach out to find out more. 2021 is the time to adopt a Gift Mindset®.
Lead to be limitless!
Find out where you sit on the Leadership Ladder, your responses are anonymous, and the results summarised to help us better understand where our market sits so that we can continue to provide, insights, tools and solutions to assist you in moving up to be LIMITLESS, co-creative and stand out.
Renée is a mentor, coach, expert facilitator and keynote speaker; She is the author of ‘Gift Mindset®‘, ‘Limitless Leadership’ and co-author of ‘Leaders of Influence’.
PS: Want to skyrocket your success from working anywhere? We've launched our online program, and you can read more about that here.
Be one of the first to receive a copy of Renée’s latest book, Gift Mindset®. It is available for pre-order on Amazon, and Booktopia.
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