THINKING THEME: THE MANAGER’S MINDSET
What a manager mindset is and how it impacts an organisation.
The Importance of Valuing and Developing Managers
What type of managers does your company employ? How has their previous experience of management shaped their approach? Are they reactive, responding to challenges as they arise or are they focused on the longer term and anticipating changes before they have arisen? The manager’s mindset is not just about a manager’s skills and abilities. It’s about the person; their attitudes, beliefs, values, and habits, all of which shape their approach to managing and leading their team.
The manager’s mindset defines the way a manager approaches their role, how they take on and dispense responsibilities, the strategies they employ and their overarching philosophy towards leading their team or organisation.
Why a Manager’s Mindset is important
In a nutshell, a manager’s mindset determines how the team functions and contributes to the organisation’s strategy and business outcomes. The manager sets the tone, direction and culture of the team or organisation. Their attitude and approach can either inspire or demotivate team members and ultimately influence motivation, productivity, and business outcomes.
These mindsets are also indicators of where the manager fits on their Contribution Curve. The Contribution Curve is a ‘soft-skills-based’ competency framework which provides insights and guidance to turning managers and leaders into top contributors in their organisation.
More on the Contribution Curve >>
For example, a reactive manager is task orientated and focused on the here and now within their team. Their thinking is driven by the desire to get tasks completed and solve customer or supplier problems when they arise. Quite often this type of manager is either newly promoted into their role or was once the technical expert in the team and continues to view themselves in this light. Reactive managers are always ready to roll up their sleeves with the team to get the job done but want all decision making to come through them.
Whereas a leading manager provides a clear and consistent strategic vision to their team with a flow down to meaningful goals to be achieved. Their viewpoint is longer-term, linking customer needs with the organisations purpose to build sustainable revenue streams and long term security.
The Evolution of the Manager Mindset
Mindsets are not fixed and can evolve over time, particularly if the manager has undergone leadership training. Here we outline the five most common manager mindsets and where they fit on the contribution curve.
Emerging Manager Mindset (reacting)
This manager thinks first and foremost about getting today’s tasks completed. The focus is on allocating people to the tasks at hand and solving emerging problems. Often this mindset is found in managers that are either newly promoted or were once the team expert and haven’t yet shifted their mindset from being one of the team, to now leading the team. This manager confines their view to reacting to the tasks at hand and rarely looks up or outside of the team. This leads to reduced contribution from all of the team, including the line manager.
Shift the Manager Mindset from ‘Me’ to ‘We’ in our dedicated Manager Mindset course.
Coaching mindset (controlling)
It is all about creating and delegating to a functioning team for a manager with a coaching mindset. Putting the right people, in the right place and at the right time to deliver results is of primary importance. This manager mindset sets direction by developing the team vision, values and goals that are aligned with the department vision, values, and goals. The result is a contented team delivering customer satisfaction.
Unlock the ‘Power’ of your team with our Coaching Mindset course.
Growth mindset (directing)
Teamwork and open communication are at the forefront of this manager’s approach. They thrive on collaboration and actively encourage their team members to work together, share ideas and provide support for one another. The result is happy customers and suppliers, and an agile, stable team that contributes highly and feels fulfilled.
Collaborative mindset (facilitating)
A facilitating manager trusts and empowers their team to deliver the teams vision, values and goals their way. They foster an innovation culture, helping the organisation think differently and collaborating with peers to deliver on the strategy, clear roadblocks, secure resources and get rid of low contributing activities. The result is an effective and efficient team that contributes highly to the organisation, with customers and suppliers are happy and loyal. The magnetic nature of the team attracts a waiting list of people wanting to join the department.
Ecosystem mindset (leading)
Managers with a leading mindset create clarity in their teams, ensuring that each member is provided with a clear and consistent strategic vision and a flow down to meaningful goals. They take a macroscopic view, building long term customer and supplier collaborations and build sustainable revenue streams with long term security.
The manager mindset determines how the team functions and approaches their work. A manager with a positive and growth-oriented mindset inspires their team to innovate, develop resilience and strive for continuous improvement. This approach helps the team reach their next level of effectiveness, which is not only good for team morale, but also productivity and sustainable revenue.
Can a Mindset be changed?
Yes! We have worked with many leaders and managers over the years and not one of them aspired to be an ineffective manager. Too often people are promoted from team member to manager without any training on how to make the leap to leading people. Being a manager can be challenging and requires a wide range of skills including communication, decision-making, delegation, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
Most managers have good intentions but due to lack of training, guidance, and support the role of manager can be a poisoned chalice. A trained manager with a positive mindset not only boosts individual contribution across the team, but also attracts, hires, and inspires great people. In a competitive employment market with ever-increasing gaps in the talent pool, a manager with a positive mindset increases team resilience and reduces costly churn.
Establishing a manager mindset that enables the team to develop and succeed requires managers to shine a light on their attitudes, beliefs, values, and habits. By understanding their existing thought patterns and becoming more self-aware of their automatic response, it’s possible for managers to lead their teams to greater levels of contribution – which is a win/win for the team, manager, and organisation.
Manager Mindset Programmes
Ignite a transformation in mindset for your managers:
Manager Mindset Course - from ‘Me’ to ‘We’
In this interactive, thought-provoking training course managers will learn how to effectively manage their team and contribute and deliver through others.
Coaching Mindset Course - Unlock the Power of Your Team
The coaching mindset course will help managers ask the right questions to get their people thinking and learning rather than telling their team members what to do. This approach will build engagement and self-sufficiency, rather than risking dependence and resistance, creating a culture of empowerment and accelerated learning.
Thinking Theme Articles
Shattering the top five myths of management
What is the Manager Mindset?
The Power of the Coaching Mindset
Unleashing resilience: how a coaching mindset can transform your team.