With ever-increasing complexity and rapid change in the workplace, there is a need for a greater mental capacity. An adaptable workforce needs to demonstrate innovation, self-management, personal responsibility and self-direction. The current pandemic environment has pushed organizations to realize this more than ever before.
The complexity of organizational life and new ways of working is requiring employees to move from socialized minds to self-authoring minds. Those who could once lead successfully with self-authored minds need to develop self-transforming minds.
According to a study by Kegan and Lahey*, there are three different plateaus in mental complexity in adults. These three meaning systems are:
The Socialized Mind
Team player, faithful follower, aligning, seeks direction, reliant
The Self- Authored Mind
Agenda driven, leads own compass, problem-solving, independent
The Self Transforming Mind
Leads to learn, multi-frame, holds contradictions, problem finding, interdependent
So how do you create a self-transforming mind i.e. a growth mindset? My new book “Be The Change – Creating Growth Mindsets” is a practical book full of proven techniques to assist you to create and reinforce a Growth Mindset.
* Immunity to Change, Kegan and Lahey, Harvard Business Review Press, 2009