Article Contents:
Leadership role or CXO: How to make yourself ready?
In this article , we aim to discuss valuable insights, practical strategies, and actionable tips to help you navigate your journey toward senior leadership positions.
Whether you aspire to become a CEO, COO, CFO, or other CXO-level executive, this theme supports your aspirations and equips you with the tools and knowledge needed to succeed.
Throughout this theme, we will delve into various aspects of leadership readiness, including mindset, behavior, preparedness, skill set development, and best practices for leadership roles or CXO.
We aim to empower you with the insights, resources, and inspiration to accelerate your journey toward senior leadership positions.
Whether you’re at the early stages of your career or already on the path to a leadership role, there will be valuable takeaways for everyone.
Preparation framework for a leadership role
Let us understand the framework for preparing ourselves for effective leadership roles or CXO positions.
Preparation has to be done at three levels: Mindset, Behaviour, and Skill set development.
Although all three fundamentals are Mindset or Inward preparedness, all three can be developed simultaneously.
Understanding each layer will help you bridge the gap in achieving a successful leadership role faster than you can alone.
Mindset:
Mindset refers to the underlying beliefs, attitudes, and perspectives towards Self, Others, the organization, and its customers.
Mindset only determines how we approach the challenges and opportunities in the workplace as a leader.
For example,
Someone is giving you feedback about your performance.
How do you receive feedback?
It is an outcome of your mindset, attitude, or perspective about yourself and others.
If you believe in a growth mindset, you are in a position to differentiate the actual intention of feedback from critics’ comments. You could separate the critics’ tone and take only the feedback content.
If you are in a fixed mindset, you resist feedback with anger or by counterargument to another person.
The point is that your internal attitude towards you and others will guide your action in that moment..
That is why we often reflect on our mindset, attitude, or perspective.
Some of the mindsets required for potential leadership roles are
- Growth Mindset
- Strategic mindset
- Big picture thinking
- Customer-centric
- Resilience
- Adaptability
- Data-driven mindset over emotion
- Collaborative mindset
- Ethical or integrity mindset
- Innovation mindset
Behaviors:
Behaviors refer to the actions, expressions, and interactions that individuals demonstrate in the workplace, reflecting their attitudes, values, and interpersonal skills.
Potential leaders are expected to display positive behaviors as they set the tone for positive engagement, culture, and cordial relationships with others.
Positive behavior only builds trust and inspires others to get things done.
For example,
suppose you are short-tempered and shout at people frequently in front of others. In that case, you will create an environment of insecurity and a low risk-taking attitude among your team. Conversely, displaying assertiveness even with anger signals people to own their mistakes and likely their accountability.
Some of the positive behaviors expected from potential leadership roles are
- Empathetic Communication
- Leading with authenticity
- Fostering a culture of inclusiveness and diversity
- Holistic problem-solving approach
- Positive relationship-building efforts
- Skillsets:
Skillsets encompass the technical and managerial competencies, capabilities, and expertise required to perform effectively in a CXO-level role.
Ultimately, your skillset drives the result more than your mindset and positive behavior. That matters for leadership.
Some of the skills required for leadership role
1. Strategic Planning
2. Developing business acumen
3. Problem-solving and decision-making skills
4. Conflict management skill
5. Influencing skill
6. Change management
7. Effective communication skillLet us discuss each mindset, behavior, skillset, and its insights
Developing Growth Mindset
As discussed in the preparation framework for leadership roles or CXO positions, mindset, behaviors, and leadership practices are essential.
We have discussed the list of mindsets one must constantly reexamine and refine.
Let us discuss the first mindset, Growth Mindset, in detail.
What is meant by Growth Mindset?
The growth mindset revolves around the belief that skills, intelligence, and talents can be developed with effort, dedication, perseverance, learning, and practice.
Irrespective of the past and background, one can design their future with new learning and practice.
For example, a person with a pure engineering background can learn financial fundamentals and run the business successfully only with the belief that he can learn finance and put effort into practice the learnings into implementation. That is the growth mindset.
Whereas, if one person thinks that finance subjects can not be learned because of his inherent engineering background, he stops learning and never puts in the effort; then, he has a fixed mindset.
One of my earlier clients made some mistakes in his business, which caused him to wind up his business. Despite this, he took time to learn from his mistakes, equipping himself with a structured education, and he is now starting the entrepreneurial journey again at the age of 60 +. That mindset of perseverance and learning from mistakes is about the growth mindset.
How do we assess whether we pursue a growth or fixed mindset?
We must observe our vocabulary and behaviors to assess our predominant mindset.
Some of the behaviors and vocabularies of the growth mindset people display frequently.
Behavior and Vocabulary:
Embracing challenges:
“I see this as an opportunity to learn and grow.”
“I am excited to tackle this challenge and see how to improve.”
Welcoming Feedback :
“Thank you for the feedback, and I will use it to improve.”
Persistent and effort :
“I believe that I can overcome any obstacle with enough effort.”
Viewing failure as a learning opportunity:
“Each failure takes me closer to success; I learn from failure.”
Encouraging Others:
“You are making good progress . Keep up the good work”.
Celebrating Growth:
“I am proud of my progress, and I am growing.”
” Look how far I have come since I started.”
Let us discuss the benefits of a growth mindset for individuals and organizations, why it is always difficult to pursue, and how to develop it.
Why Growth mindset for leaders?
From personal and professional perspectives, let us understand why a growth mindset is required for potential leaders.
Personal Perspective:
- Resilience: A growth mindset helps leaders develop resilience in the face of setbacks. Rather than seeing failure as a reflection of their abilities, they view it as an opportunity to learn and grow, which can lead to greater emotional well-being.
- Continuous Learning: Leaders with a growth mindset are committed to constant learning and self-improvement. They are open to new ideas, feedback, and experiences.
- Adaptability: Leaders with a growth mindset embrace change as a natural part of life and are better equipped to navigate uncertainty and ambiguity.
- Optimism: A growth mindset is associated with optimism and a positive outlook on life
Professional Perspective:
- Innovation: Leaders with a growth mindset are more likely to foster a culture of innovation within their organizations. They encourage experimentation, risk-taking, and creativity, knowing failure is not a permanent condition but a stepping stone to success.
- Empowerment: A growth mindset empowers leaders to empower others. Instead of micromanaging their teams, they trust their employees’ abilities to learn and grow, delegating responsibilities and providing support.
- Problem-Solving: When faced with complex problems, leaders with a growth mindset approach them with curiosity and a willingness to explore different solutions.
- Resilient Teams: By modeling a growth mindset, leaders create resilient teams that can better adapt to change and overcome obstacles.
One example of a growth mindset in the Indian corporate world is the “Maggi Crisis in 2015,” which many know. Maggi was banned for some period, and it is one of Nestle India’s most important products.
One can derive many management lessons from it. However, I relate to the leader’s mindset during the crisis. Mr.Suresh Narayanan is a key person in overcoming the crisis and moving Nestle into the fastest growth path after the crisis. Now, he is the head of the organization.
I happened to hear his speech on crisis management and how he and his team overcame it. He mentioned many qualities, one of which is related to a growth mindset: “We shall overcome.”
A growth mindset brings other qualities like adaptability, learning from mistakes, strategy, teamwork, stakeholder management, etc.
Below the link is his other interview excerpt, in which he mentioned the same. I think that mindset helped them overcome the challenges and come back.
https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/visionaries-four-leadership-lessons-suresh-narayanan-swears-by-16754.htm
In summary, a growth mindset is essential for leaders personally and professionally because it fosters resilience, continuous learning, adaptability, and innovation, ultimately leading to greater personal fulfillment and organizational success.
However, it is not easy to pursue, and let us discuss how to deal with it
Why is being in a growth mindset difficult?
In reality, being in a growth mindset is not easy for everyone for the following reasons.
Just being aware of our shortcomings will help us to overcome them. If we do not know the cause of our actions, we can not improve them.
Why is it difficult to maintain a growth mindset all the time?
Ingrained Habits & Conditioning:
Individuals often develop fixed mindset tendencies over time due to societal conditioning and past experiences. Old habits die hard, and it takes time and persistence to rewire one’s thinking patterns. Stepping out of old habits and embracing growth requires courage, vulnerability, and a willingness to embrace discomfort.
For example, delegating work affects quality, so some people tend to do everything on their own. This habit might have come from a bitter experience. Unless one breaks that past conditioning, there is no scope for personal productivity.
Fear of Failure :
The fear of failure and judgment can undermine one’s ability to maintain a growth mindset. Society often associates failure with the incompetence of a person. This fear of failure can lead individuals to avoid challenges, play it safe, and resist stepping outside their comfort zones, hindering their growth and development.
Fixed Mindset Triggers:
Certain situations or environments may trigger fixed mindset beliefs and behaviors, even if one wants to pursue a growth mindset.
For example, receiving negative feedback from close circles or facing setbacks can evoke feelings of doubt, insecurity, or self-criticism.
Impatience & Instant Gratification:
In today’s fast-paced world, individuals are often conditioned to seek instant gratification and quick results. Pursuing growth and development, however, is a gradual and iterative process that requires patience, perseverance, and long-term commitment. The temptation to prioritize short-term gains over long-term growth can undermine one’s ability to consistently maintain a growth mindset.
Negative Self-Talk & Limiting Beliefs:
Internal dialogue plays a significant role in shaping mindset. Negative self-talk, self-doubt, and limiting beliefs can erode one’s confidence and hinder one’s ability to maintain a growth mindset.
In summary, maintaining a growth mindset is always challenging due to ingrained habits, societal pressures, fear of failure, fixed mindset triggers, impatience, comfort zones, and negative self-talk.
Overcoming these challenges requires self-awareness, self-compassion, resilience, patience, and a commitment to continuous learning and growth. While maintaining a growth mindset may not be easy, the rewards of personal and professional development make it a worthwhile endeavor.
Let us discuss some of the methodologies to develop the growth mindset
How to develop Growth Mindset ?
Let us understand how to develop a growth mindset by practice.
Embracing new experiences:
“Embracing new activities that challenge us allows us to push our boundaries and learn new things, leading to personal growth.
For instance,
assume that you are a finance professional and changing your work portfolio every two or three years, such as moving from statutory compliance to capex planning within the finance function, can expand your mind as you experience a new work profile and learn from it.”
Learn from feedback:
When you constantly seek feedback from your mentors, colleagues, and clients, some of the feedbacks really open up your blind spot. That will give you the opportunity to learn new skills or habits. By the way, your mind expands to grow from a fixed mindset.
Celebrating small wins:
One powerful strategy for developing a growth mindset is celebrating small wins. This reinforces the desire to achieve more wins, leading to the development of a growth mindset.
Engaging in lifelong learning :
Getting into the habit of learning through books, courses, and other resources will help to seek new knowledge and perspectives. When perspectives are enhanced, a growth mindset is also enhanced; otherwise, we are stuck with a fixed mindset due to limited perspective.
Reflect and adapt:
One of the best methods to overcome a fixed mindset is to reflect on your experiences and learn from them. Being willing to adapt new approaches based on reflection will enhance the mindset towards growth.
An example of reflection could be journal writing of your successes and setbacks, which will help to enhance your growth mindset.
Personally, I feel writing a gratitude journal will help you bring an abundance of growth mindset.
Replacing negative self-talk to positive affirmation.
For example,
Instead of saying, ” I am not good at finance”, say, “I can improve my finances with practice.”
Embrace collaboration:
In a professional environment, working with diverse cross-functional people on a project will improve one’s mindset to accept diverse views and solve problems differently. That is an excellent approach for enhancing the growth mindset in a workplace.
Integrating these strategies into our daily lives allows us to develop a robust growth mindset that enhances our personal and professional development.
The key is awareness and practice…It is a journey and not a one-time activity.
Developing Strategic mindset
The second mindset one should refine is “Developing the Strategic Mindset.”
What is meant by a strategic mindset?
A strategic mindset refers to thinking long-term, envisioning the future, and creating a roadmap to achieve those goals.
It involves understanding the broader context in which your function or an organization operates, anticipating changes, and making decisions that align with the overall mission and vision.
To understand the term simply, let us relate it to the opposite of strategic thinking, that is, tactical thinking.
Opposite to Strategic Mindset:
The opposite of a strategic mindset is a tactical or reactive mindset.
This approach focuses on short-term goals and immediate problem-solving without considering the long-term implications.
For instance:
If you are a Human Resource Manager, you may focus on absenteeism as a problem and make all the short-term efforts to mitigate absenteeism and ensure that operations are running somehow. The efforts could include working additional hours, giving incentives, etc. That is fine, and most of them are short-term perspectives and more of a reactive approach to managing the show. That will work for some time.
Whereas strategic thinking or mindset would involve taking a step back, seeing the problem as continuous, and looking for long-term solutions, such as changes in HR policies, changes in the recruitment structure, etc., which may help overcome the absenteeism problem at a deeper level.
The essence of strategic mindset or thinking is looking for a long-term scenario, making multiple options, and evaluating the risk in each option. It is more of anticipating the problem proactively and finding solutions proactively and trying to fix it sustainably or permanently.
In tactical thinking, we may not go into depth, and our orientation is to look for short-term solutions and ensure the business is running well.
As a potential leader, one should also have tactical and strategic thinking.
Let us discuss the following:
Challenges for people to think strategic
Why is strategic thinking required from a personal and professional perspective?
How can one nurture a strategic mindset in the current role?
Why develop a strategic mindset?
Let us understand why potential leaders should develop a strategic mindset from personal and professional perspectives.
Personal Perspective
Enhanced Problem-Solving Skills:
Developing a strategic mindset improves our ability to analyze complex situations, identify underlying issues, and consider multiple solutions and their consequences. This problem-solving skill is valuable not only in professional settings but also in personal life challenges.
Long-Term Goal Achievement:
A strategic mindset helps set long-term personal goals and create actionable plans. Whether it’s financial planning, career advancement, or personal development, thinking strategically enables more structured and successful outcomes.
Resilience and Adaptability:
Life is full of unexpected changes and challenges. A strategic mindset equips you with the ability to anticipate potential obstacles and develop contingency plans, making you more resilient and adaptable to change.
Personal Growth:
Strategic thinking encourages continuous learning and self-improvement. It pushes us to stay updated with trends and advancements in areas of interest, fostering personal growth and intellectual development.
Professional Perspective
Career Advancement:
Employers highly value strategic thinkers. Developing this skill can set you apart from your peers, making you a more attractive candidate for promotions and leadership roles.
Some people are stuck at some point in their careers despite hard work and loyalty due to a lack of strategic thinking. They could not think of solutions beyond the status quo.
Organizational Impact:
Strategic-minded professionals contribute significantly to their organizations by aligning their work with long-term business goals, driving innovation, and ensuring sustainable growth.
Leadership Effectiveness:
Strategic thinking is essential for effective leadership. It enables leaders to set clear visions, develop coherent plans, and inspire their teams to achieve common objectives. This inspiration fosters better cross-functional collaboration.
However, we encounter day-to-day issues, so developing long-term strategic thinking may be difficult for most of us. Some people may be comfortable dealing with problems in firefighting mode. However, with practice, anyone can develop when someone crosses the stages of individual contributor to the management level.
We will discuss the method of developing a strategic mindset
How do you develop Strategic Thinking?
let us understand the practical ways to develop strategic thinking.
Since most managers spend time on crisis management or solving day-to-day issues, we do not have the time or environment to engage in strategic thinking. However, some leaders develop this mindset by adopting some of the practices, as I observed.
Cultivate Curiosity in many things:
Stay curious about the world around you. Read extensively, attend workshops, and engage in discussions that broaden your understanding of various subjects. Otherwise, we confine ourselves to our domain or environment only.
Set Long-Term Goals and refine them:
Regularly set and review long-term personal and professional goals. You can break these goals down into actionable steps and keep an eye on your progress. This will help broaden your purpose or scope of work.
Practice Reflection:
Take time to reflect on past experiences, successes and failures. Analyze what worked, what did not, and why. This kind of reflection will enhance our understanding of the situation broadly and will help develop strategic thinking in our professional lives.
Seek Mentorship:
Learn from those who demonstrate strong strategic thinking skills. Mentors can provide valuable insights, guidance, and feedback to help you develop your strategic capabilities.
Engage in Scenario Planning:
Regularly practice scenario planning by imagining different future scenarios and developing strategies to navigate them. This helps you anticipate potential challenges and opportunities.
One of my bosses is skilled at scenario planning. Whenever a significant event or macro-level investment is planned, he creates different scenarios, such as “what if” situations, and identifies possible solutions. This has helped him develop his strategic thinking, and his proactive approach to articulating different scenarios has made him a respected thought leader for complex business issues.
The point is that developing strategic thinking is challenging for those who are immersed too much in day-to-day crisis management. We need to take time out and practice consciously. It will come only by practice but can be developed at any time.
Developing Big-Picture Thinking
The third mindset or thinking is “Developing Big picture thinking” in any situation.
We have discussed it in this forum many times; however, it is worth discussing, considering its importance in preparing for a leadership position.
What is meant by big-picture thinking?
Big-picture thinking in a professional setup refers to the ability to see and understand the broader context, goals, and implications of a situation, decision, task, or project.
It involves:
- Contextual Understanding: Grasping the larger framework or environment in which activities occur
- Long-term Vision: This involves focusing on long-term objectives and outcomes rather than getting bogged down in immediate details or short-term gains. It also involves considering how actions today can impact future goals.
- Strategic Perspective: Identifying key priorities and aligning activities with overarching strategies. This helps in making decisions that contribute to the organization’s strategic objectives.
- Connecting Dots: Seeing connections and relationships between different parts of the organization or aspects of a project.
- Decision Making: Making decisions that are informed by a holistic understanding of the situation and its potential impacts on the organization.
For example,
As a Human Resource Manager, you are about to recruit a senior person for your organization.
How can you apply a 360-degree perspective or big-picture thinking to the situation or task?
You can worry too much about shortlisting candidates, job descriptions, remuneration, etc. From an HR functional perspective, that is a short-term and one-sided view.
Instead, you can develop the capability of understanding the importance of recruitment, how it will align with organizational growth, how the new recruit will impact the organization and its dynamics, changes in organizational structure, the development and growth plan for the new recruit, and how this new recruit will change the dynamics of all cross functions.
Thinking about consequences, benefits, organizational goals, and how you are going to handle them is all about big-picture thinking or 360-degree perspectives.
In any situation, you have a choice to look at only the short term or look at the long term, linking with an organizational goal, a consequence of the situation with many stakeholders, and how you deal with it is all about BIG PICTURE THINKING or 360′ view.
This ability will help the functional managers to look beyond the obvious.
Let us understand how one can develop this ability.
Let us understand how one can develop big-picture thinking capability professionally.
Cross-Disciplinary Learning:
Once you get into a managerial role, you can expand your learning from other functions apart from your core area. This cross-disciplinary learning will enhance your understanding of any situation in 360 degrees.
For example, a company’s marketing manager can learn or show interest in product development stages and their intricacies, which will help him broaden his view of not only marketing but also other functions.
Learn to identify Patterns and Trends:
In any situation, actively look for recurring patterns or trends.
For example, suppose you work in marketing and invest in digital marketing in multiple social media campaigns. Instead of focusing only on individual campaigns, analyze the data across multiple campaigns to identify common factors contributing to visibility success or failure.
Recognizing these patterns will help you anticipate future trends and make informed decisions rather than isolated views.
Practice Systems Thinking:
Always consider how different parts of a system interact and influence each other.
For example, as a product manager, think about how changes might affect customer experience, supply chain logistics, and support services instead of focusing solely on product features. Understanding these interconnected elements can help you make decisions that optimize the entire system rather than just one component.
Practice Strategic Planning:
In any complex activities, break down complex goals into smaller, manageable steps while keeping the overarching objectives in mind.
For example, as a project manager, when planning a new initiative, outline the immediate tasks and the milestones that contribute to the larger project goals. This helps maintain focus on the big picture while ensuring incremental progress.
Practice Decision-making with Consequences in Mind:
Before deciding on an important event, consider the potential short-term and long-term consequences.
For example, as a finance manager, when deciding on budget allocations, think beyond immediate cost savings to how investments might affect productivity, employee morale, and customer satisfaction over time. This holistic approach will help you broaden the scope and likely make better decisions.
To sum up, developing big-picture thinking comes from multiple approaches, as mentioned above, which you need to consciously apply when dealing with complex situations.
Developing Data-driven mindset
The next mindset one has to develop is a “Data-driven mindset.”
What is meant by a Data-Driven mindset?
A “data-driven mindset” refers to an approach that prioritizes data as the key driver in decision-making. It emphasizes the importance of data in understanding situations, solving problems, and making informed decisions rather than giving much importance to opinion or emotional bias.
Why is it required?
While climbing the professional ladder, you may encounter complex situations and many stakeholders. When inclined towards data or facts, you will not be biased toward any of the strongest stakeholders, which may not be the truth.
You will be able to remove noise from the fact.
Any solutions based on opinion may redirect you in many different directions.
One example involves a client organization where a new plant head joined the company. One of the narratives provided to him was that delivery losses were occurring due to plant equipment and maintenance practices, with the person in charge of maintenance needing to be more efficient. After listening to these narratives, the plant head decided to investigate the actual data of the losses. He discovered that the leading causes of the problem were related to raw material (RM) planning and availability rather than equipment maintenance. Equipment maintenance was identified as the fourth-level issue. As a result, the plant head took the initiative to address and solve the RM planning problem.
He would have gone into the wrong causes if the plant head was not data-centric.
When he proved with data, everyone accepted the fact and got aligned.
Data will align the people, not the emotions, as emotions vary from person to person. Data is truth.
Developing a data-driven mindset will help align people for complex problem-solving and lead to finding the right solutions more quickly, rather than relying too much on others’ emotions or opinions.
How do we develop a data-driven mindset?
Developing a data-driven mindset involves a combination of education, practice, and cultural change within an organization.
The following methods will help to cultivate this mindset with self and with others:
Leadership by Example: Demonstrate your commitment to using data in decision-making. Share data-driven insights and use them to back up your decisions.
Encourage Data Use: Encourage your team members to use data to make recommendations and take action.
Reward Data-Driven Behaviour: Recognize and reward employees who effectively use data to improve processes, solve problems
Approaching decision-making with a data-centric mindset combined with empathy can lead to better decisions than being solely emotion-centric. Cultivating this mindset through awareness and practice is essential for aspiring leaders.
Developing Customer-Centric Mindset
The next mindset one has to develop is a “Customer-centric mindset.”
What is meant by “Customer Centric Mindset?
A customer-centric mindset prioritizes the needs and experiences of the customer in all business decisions and processes.
It involves understanding customer needs, creating positive experiences, and building long-term relationships.
When the customer reaches us, it is essential to provide a positive, pleasant experience throughout the journey or at each step.
The above definition seems more strategic, and you might feel that you don’t directly impact the customer’s experience since you’re focused on internal functions. However, your functional activities do influence creating a positive customer experience.
All it takes is a customer-focused mindset in every action we take.
Consider the following incident that happened to a close friend who is an entrepreneur.
He supplied materials to a long-standing customer but faced delays in receiving payment due to some quality issues. After some time, the management instructed full payment to be released. However, upon checking his bank account, he discovered that only a partial payment had been made. When he contacted the finance person for the full payment, he was informed that the finance head had yet to receive an email from the quality head to release the full payment. Interestingly, the quality head and finance head were located on the same floor, and it would have been easy for them to communicate directly.
The entrepreneur approached the quality head to request that the communication be sent to the finance head. The finance head then mentioned that the payment would only be made in the next cycle due to other ongoing tasks. This situation left my friend frustrated as he was incurring interest costs and was being made to wait for the next payment cycle due to internal organizational issues. He felt helpless.
In this scenario, what is missing is a customer-centric mindset and approach from both the quality and finance heads. If the quality head had a customer-centric mindset, he could have promptly sent the email to the finance head, and the finance head could have proactively reached out to the quality head when the customer approached him for a payment reminder. They are centered around their functions only.
Ultimately, the lack of such a customer-centric approach has resulted in a poor customer experience.
The idea behind sharing the above example is that everyone is good at functional activities, and somehow, we are overlooking the customer’s experience with our confined way of working.
In some organizations, I have seen people trained to prioritize the customer in all decisions. What matters is the inclination towards the customer. It’s all about having the right mindset.
By following the below methods, a person working in a functional domain can develop a strong customer-centric mindset and enhance their contribution to the organization’s overall success. The organization can initiate it.
Shadowing Customer Support: Spend periodically listening to customer support calls to understand user pain points.
Customer Journey Mapping: Participate in workshops to map out the journey of a new customer.
Cross-Functional Project: Work on a cross-functional project to gain insight into each other’s experiences.
Regular Feedback Sessions: Attend monthly meetings to analyze and discuss recent customer feedback.
Empathy Exercises & training: Engage in role-playing sessions to address typical customer complaints and develop empathy.
Your customer-centric mindset and professional expertise will help you progress while climbing the professional ladder for leadership roles.
Developing Resilience
The next mindset one has to develop is “Resilience.”
What is meant by Resilience?
In a professional context, Resilience refers to the ability to adapt to, recover from, and thrive in the face of challenges, setbacks, and stressful situations.
For example, at an individual level, one may typically face the following setbacks in a professional setting:
Your investment decision can go wrong as sales assumptions change suddenly.
A key person or supporting boss/mentor leaves the organization without prior symptoms.
Customers may pull the order without any indication.
Similarly, at an organizational level,
Infosys faced a leadership crisis in 2017 when its CEO Vishal Sikka resigned amid disputes with the founders. The company’s Resilience was evident as it quickly stabilized under new leadership, refocused on its core values, and continued its growth trajectory, maintaining its reputation in the global IT industry.
You can relate to many challenges in a professional environment, and how you respond to them and bounce back to normal is all about Resilience.
Resilience is crucial for emerging leaders in an organization for several reasons:
- Navigating Change: Emerging leaders often face rapidly changing environments and must be able to adapt quickly. Resilience helps them manage these changes effectively without becoming overwhelmed.
- Handling Pressure:Leadership roles come with increased responsibilities and pressures. Resilient leaders can maintain their composure and make sound decisions under stress.
- Setting an Example:Leaders serve as role models. Demonstrating Resilience can inspire and motivate their teams, fostering a culture of perseverance and adaptability.
- Enhancing Problem-Solving:Resilient leaders are better equipped to tackle complex problems. They approach challenges positively and are more likely to find innovative solutions.
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How to develop Resilience?
Developing Resilience is essential for emerging leader’s growth and effectiveness within the organization.
Some people have the inherent capability of bouncing back in any situation. For others, overcoming disappointment or setbacks is a challenge.
However, with specific practices and self-awareness, anyone can become stronger in Resilience.
Accept the reality:
Once you accept any challenge or setback, you are emotionally stable and move to the state of thinking solutions. When you are not accepting, all adverse reactions arise, like complaining and blaming others, personally sabotaging yourself, etc.
Hope:
Having hope for a better future. I noticed that one of the CEOs of a large organization used to say whenever the company faced a crisis,” We are excited about a new beginning.”
A mindset of hope and optimism about the future will help overcome the struggle, as will a strong resilience mindset.
Faith:
Faith in nature is one way of overcoming setbacks with solid Resilience. Philosophically, orienting toward “this shall too pass” will help one bounce back quickly.
Learning from mistakes:
This is a logical way of looking at past challenges or setbacks. Understanding what went wrong and what needs to be done will give more clarity and help you bounce back with confidence.
There could be many ways one can come back strongly.
The idea is that change is inevitable. A resilience mentality will help you easily overcome any changes, challenges, or setbacks.
Being Adaptable
The next mindset one has to develop is “Adaptability.”
What is meant by adaptability?
In a professional environment, adaptability refers to an individual’s ability to adjust to new conditions, changes, and challenges in the workplace.
for example,
Your company implements a new lean production process to improve efficiency. An adaptable employee embraces the new process, actively participates in training sessions, and suggests further improvements based on their hands-on experience, contributing to the overall success of the implementation.
You are relocating to a new job or place. Adaptability is adapting to the new environment, learning about the culture and business practices, and building relationships with new people.
In recent times, we have encountered many news /stories about AI for personal productivity. How one shows interest in learning about it and applying it for personal productivity is about adaptability.
These examples illustrate how adaptability can manifest in various professional scenarios, demonstrating the importance of being open to change and proactive in acquiring new skills and approaches.
Adaptability is the extension of resilience; in resilience, one has to develop the ability to “bounce back” from challenges or setbacks, whereas adaptability is the ability to “bounce forward” with new changes or challenges.
Why adaptable?
People who do not adapt new ideas, processes, and information find it challenging to progress professionally.
Many research data indicate that adaptability, as an emotional intelligence soft skill, helps a person achieve more success and be happy with their job.
How do you develop adaptability?
Developing adaptability as a mindset involves cultivating certain habits, attitudes, and skills that enable one to respond effectively to change.
- Embrace change as an opportunity for betterment rather than a threat. Focus on the opportunities that change will bring.
- In every crisis, look for an opportunity to learn something.
- Cultivate curiosity to learn something new, ask questions, and explore different perspectives that push you out of your limited zone.
- Staying positive and calm during the transition and eventually TIME brings new possibilities.
By incorporating these practices into your daily routine, you can develop a more adaptable mindset to help you navigate and thrive in a constantly changing environment.
Developing Collaboration Mindset:
What is a collaborative mindset?
A collaborative mindset in a professional environment refers to an attitude and approach that prioritizes working with others to achieve common goals.
For example,
as an HR Head, you want to implement a new performance incentive scheme. Collaborative work involves working with many stakeholders, selling the idea with effective communication, dealing with the conflicts or differences with a win-win attitude, and finally getting things done, say implementing a new incentive system.
It involves valuing teamwork, open communication, mutual respect, and sharing ideas, knowledge, and resources.
Critical aspects of a collaborative mindset include:
Willingness to work in a team: Being willing to work with others, recognizing that collective efforts often lead to better outcomes than individual efforts.
Communication: Engaging in transparent, open, and honest communication. This includes listening actively, sharing information freely, and being transparent about challenges and successes. Trust is a key.
Flexibility: Being adaptable and open to others’ ideas, even if they differ from your own. A collaborative mindset involves a willingness to compromise and find solutions that benefit the team.
Mutual Respect: Valuing the contributions of all team members, regardless of their role or level of experience. Respect diverse perspectives and recognize that everyone has something valuable to offer.
Shared Goals: Focusing on common objectives and working towards them together.
How can one develop a collaborative mindset?
Improving your self-awareness:
Being aware of your strengths, areas for improvement, and teamwork habits and behaviors will help you improve your collaborative skills.
For example,
if you happen to know about your lacuna in expressing your thoughts sequentially in a public forum, you could write down your thoughts on paper and read them. That way, you collaborate in a team for positive outcomes or common goals.
If you are not aware of yourself better, you remain silent, yet your views are more powerful and contribute to the outcome. Your collaboration ability will be less if you do not know yourself better.
Self-awareness is a key to developing collaborative skills.
Conviction of the common goal or problem:
Collaboration strengthens when you and others are clear about the problem to solve or the end goal.
In the same example of implementing a new incentive scheme, as a finance head, if you understand the reasoning behind the new scheme and are convinced, your collaboration will be more with the HR head to implement.
Hence, being aware of the outcome and conviction in the solution approach will enhance collaboration skills.
Holding yourself Accountable:
Generally, when working in a team, there is a tendency to expect others to do more than themselves. If everyone operates with that mindset, it affects the outcome and the depth of collaboration.
It is better to know what is expected of you in teamwork and hold yourself accountable for delivering it. The more you deliver in a team setting, the better your collaboration skills will eventually improve.
To sum up,
At the beginning of your career, you are measured as a success for your functional expertise. In contrast, when you grow in your career, you are measured for your collaborative skill in a team and getting things done in a cross-functional team environment. Hence, developing a collaborative mindset and skills is essential.
Developing Integrity:
What is an integrity mindset?
In a professional context, Integrity means ” a commitment to ethical behavior, honesty, and consistency in actions and decisions.”
It is all about how we conduct ourselves in all situations.
It goes beyond typical unethical behavior like bribing /cheating others/manipulating accounts etc.
Integrity involves a combination of many characteristics, as follows.
• Honesty: Being truthful in all communications and avoiding deceit or misrepresentation.
• Accountability: Taking responsibility for one’s actions, admitting mistakes, and working to correct them.
• Fairness: Treating others respectfully and avoiding favoritism or discrimination.
• Consistency: Upholding the same ethical standards in all situations, regardless of the circumstances.
• Transparency: Being open and transparent about processes, decisions, and intentions to build trust
• Courage: Standing up for what is right, even in difficult situations, and being willing to challenge unethical behavior.
This is the fundamental and highest form of maturity one must demonstrate at a leadership level.
Citing examples from public life or celebrities may dilute this fundamental quality as it is more of a personal excellence.
One should examine self and how one demonstrates Integrity with the above characteristics in specific situations in the past.
When one climbs the professional ladder, when Integrity is missing, soon they fall fast.
Those retained at the leadership level may find only one aspect challenging: consistency.
Maintaining Integrity in all situations is about personal excellence, and one must strive for it continuously.
Let us discuss some practical methods to maintain Integrity in all situations.
Demonstrating Integrity:
One of my mentors responded that Integrity is a a way of life and wondered how it can be developed later in a career.I agree on that point.
If one does not have this fundamental value from a young age, getting into a leadership position and developing it isn’t easy. Even if someone reaches a high position, it isn’t easy to sustain it. We have seen many examples of big falls of “celebrity” leaders who do not stick to this value in challenging situations.
I want to point out that some of the characteristics of Integrity, such as honesty, fairness, accountability, and consistency, must be demonstrated in the workplace. That consistent demonstration will strengthen your integrity further. It requires conscious effort, self-awareness, and consistent practice.
Given below are practical steps with examples
Self-Reflection and Awareness
Practice: Regularly assess your values, beliefs, and actions. Understand what Integrity means to you and how it aligns with your professional goals.
Example: Before deciding, ask yourself, “Is this the right thing to do? How would I feel if this decision was made public?” This reflection helps ensure your actions are aligned with your values.
Lead by Example
Practice: Demonstrate Integrity in your daily actions and decisions, regardless of the situation.
Example:
- If you’re a team leader and notice a mistake in a report, acknowledge it openly rather than cover it up. Show your team that mistakes are learning opportunities, not something to hide.
- If you commit to sending a report to someone with a timeline and, for some reason, you cannot follow it, please call the person and let them know the reason for the delay.
Commit to Transparency
Practice: Be open and transparent in your communications, especially when discussing decisions, processes, or company policies.
For example, if a project is delayed, please let your team and stakeholders know the steps being taken to address the delay. This builds trust and shows that you value honesty over appearances.
Hold Yourself and Others Accountable
Practice: Take responsibility for your actions and expect the same from others. Address unethical behavior promptly, even if it’s uncomfortable.
Example:
If a colleague takes credit for someone else’s work, address the issue privately and ensure the rightful person is acknowledged. This reinforces the importance of fairness and accountability.
Make Decisions Based on Ethics, Not Convenience
Practice: When faced with a tough decision, prioritize what is ethically correct, even if it’s more difficult or less profitable in the short term.
Example: If you’re in a sales role and a potential client asks you for some information about a product or service’s capabilities, choose to provide accurate information, even if it means losing the sale. This demonstrates that Integrity is more important than immediate gains.
By consistently demonstrating the above practices, you can develop and strengthen your integrity mindset, leading to more effective leadership in your professional life.
Developing Innovative mindset:
The next mindset one has to develop is the “Innovative mindset.”
What is meant by an Innovative mindset?
An innovation mindset refers to a way of thinking that consistently seeks to challenge the status quo, explore new ideas, and embrace change to create value for the organization.
It’s about being open to new possibilities, encouraging creativity, and being willing to take calculated risks.
Why is an innovative mindset required for emerging leaders?
This mindset enables CXOs to drive their functions/organizations forward in a competitive and rapidly changing business landscape.
The leaders are expected to improve resource productivity, time, quality, and customer experience rather than maintain the current status.
Myths about innovative mindset:
Many of us assume “innovation, creativity, disruptive business model, and exponential outcome” as buzzwords, which made us too distant from them.
An innovative mindset is about disrupting current processes or practices to improve customer service, time, cost, or experience.
When we continuously disrupt the process and look for improvements, we experience exponential growth over time.
For example,
in one of my client organizations, product development was done sequentially. The CEO disrupted the process by bringing the design and sales teams together to get the customer requirement right the first time and ensure timely execution. This initiative reduced the lead time by 50 % within three months.
Then, he introduced the concept of coworking by involving all the functions, including the vendors, and introduced the project management structure, which resulted in a 75 % reduction in lead time in one year.
For that organization, the process disruption is an innovation in developing products, and the impact is exponential.
The idea is common sense from an external perspective; however, they challenge the status quo and are ready to experiment. That is what an innovative mindset is all about.
How can you develop an innovative mindset at the individual level?
Challenging the status quo:
Always look for ways to improve productivity, quality, or customer experience by challenging the existing work or process.
Curious to learn:
Learn the stuff around your function and business, as this will help you connect the dots when it is required. When in charge of any functions, be curious about how your industry or business operates and invest in learning. Eventually, it will help you look at your practices differently.
Collaborate with diverse groups:
Collaborating with a diverse group will allow you to listen to diverse views, enhancing your perspective. When you strengthen your perspective, you will question assumptions or the existing practices toward improvements.
To sum up,
An innovative mindset is the inclination to challenge the status quo to add value in terms of time, resources, and experience to others. This mindset needs to be inculcated for professional growth.
