Accelerating the Mindset Makeover for Rising Leaders
The Mindset Shift Every Leader Needs: 4 Steps to Lead with Growth and Build a Thriving Team
Imagine this: You’re in a client pitch meeting, and things start going sideways. Your biggest competitor has undercut your pricing, and the client is leaning their way. The team looks at you, waiting for direction. You’re frustrated, maybe even panicking, but this moment will define how your firm is perceived. How you are perceived.
Now pause. How do you react? Do you shut down or lean into the challenge?
Moments like these are where leadership shines—or falters. And the difference often lies in mindset.
Mindset and Leadership: The Stats Don’t Lie
If you’re doubting the impact and importance of a growth mindset:
Growth mindset cultures outperform fixed mindset cultures. A study by Stanford University found that organizations embracing a growth mindset experience 47% higher employee engagement and 34% higher retention rates than those with fixed mindset cultures.
Leaders with growth mindsets are more innovative. According to Deloitte Insights, 62% of leaders with a growth mindset report their teams are highly adaptable, compared to just 35% of leaders with fixed mindsets.
Mindset shapes long-term success. A Harvard Business Review study revealed that CEOs with growth mindsets foster 5x more innovation than those resistant to change.
These aren’t abstract concepts.
The Stories We Tell Ourselves
A managing director I worked with—let’s call her Sarah—shared how her inner narrative almost derailed her leadership. When team members pushed back on her ideas, she thought, “They’re questioning my authority.”
This belief led to defensiveness and stifled collaboration.
When Sarah and I started exploring her mindset, those thoughts living rent-free in her mind, she recognized her assumption wasn’t true. By reframing her story—“They’re offering valuable perspectives”—she shifted how she led those discussions. Her team noticed the difference. Meetings became more open, and the team’s problem-solving improved significantly.
Try this yourself:
What’s the story I tell myself in moments of stress?
What are the facts? What are assumptions?
How does this story impact my ability to impact those around me?
From Fixed to Growth: A Practical Example
A partner at a midsize accounting firm—let’s call him Jason—truly believed that, “Clients only want to hear from me, not my team.” This assumption kept him working 60+ hours a week while his team felt undervalued.
This is a common-fixed mindset.
When Jason and I started working together, he experimented with delegating client touchpoints to his team. It wasn’t easy at first. But after consistent effort, Jason saw results:
Team morale improved as they felt more ownership.
Jason reduced his hours by 20% over three months.
Client satisfaction remained high—proving his assumption wrong.
Jason’s shift didn’t happen overnight. But small, intentional changes had a big impact.
Practical Steps to Build a Growth Mindset
Start where you are. Small steps lead to meaningful shifts.
Reflect daily. Ask yourself: What went well today? What did I learn? What can I improve tomorrow?
Reframe challenges. Instead of thinking, “This is hard,” try, “This is how I grow.”
Seek feedback. Research from Zenger Folkman shows that leaders who actively seek feedback are rated 86% more effective by their teams.
Celebrate effort. Highlight progress over perfection for yourself and your team.
Why Mindset Shapes Your Leadership Legacy
The data is clear: Leaders who cultivate a growth mindset build stronger teams, foster innovation, and create lasting impact.
Your mindset affects more than your performance—it shapes the culture of your entire organization.
Think about the legacy you want to leave. Will it reflect a fixed mindset that resists change? Or a growth mindset that inspires transformation?
Take one small action today to shift your thinking. Share this with a trusted colleague. Reflect. Adjust. Act. Over time, those small changes will transform how you lead and the results you achieve.
