Our mindset is at the heart of everything we think, feel, say and do and impacts every aspect of our personal and working lives. It’s a framework that can shape our response to every situation that comes our way and drives our interaction and relationships with others.
Every waking day, our mindset has the capacity to propel us high above the waves to a place of success, adventure and fulfilment or leave us floating aimlessly in a sea of indecision and frustration … and at times, it can make or break our potential for progress.
A myriad of tangible benefits
Whatever our starting point, it’s always possible to boost our mindset to ultra-positive and equip ourselves with a fresh and invigorated outlook where we can embrace new and existing challenges with optimism and enthusiasm. The secret to achieving exactly this is to learn and absorb certain tools and techniques that enable us to respond positively and calmly to anything that comes our way; to take a step back, evaluate with clarity and work through the options available to us in a solution focused way, confident in our capabilities to get the job done. Employees who understand and strive for an optimal mindset will bring a myriad of tangible benefits to your organisation and rapidly prove to be worth their weight in gold.
Empowering your greatest ambassadors
With the right balance of people and technical skills your customer service team can be your company’s greatest ambassadors, driving customer satisfaction levels above and beyond with significant increases in results, customer loyalty and ultimately your bottom line. Employees with an optimal mindset will act confidently and efficiently from the start, with a full and inherent awareness that a mix of empathy and understanding with the correct protocols and actions will enable the situation to be dealt with effectively and professionally. They will be motivated to take responsibility and have pride in everything they do and will strive to see the process through from start to finish.
A vital pump for optimum performance
These employees will know that just as our hearts need to pump blood around our bodies to keep us alive, it is our mindset that supplies our overarching motivation and vigour, determining how we choose to live our lives and directing our choices and behaviour at work and at home. So just as you want to have a fit and healthy heart, it’s also vital to have a fit, healthy and resilient mindset to ensure optimum performance across every aspect of your life.
Take a look inside
We know how important an optimal mindset is for a firm foundation of strong relationships and people giving great service all of the time – but how can you tell if it’s alive and well in your organisation? If you lift the lid, take a look inside and observe what your people are saying and doing, what appears before you? Do you see people taking ownership and responsibility with optimism and enthusiasm, or are they passing the buck at any opportunity? Are they listening to each other and your customers with respect and understanding, or do you see pessimism and negativity, with feedback viewed as annoying, a threat or something that just gets in the way? Are they buzzing happily around the organisation making a difference or going through the motions of playing out their roles … and do they truly believe in the value that their contribution adds?
By looking at the four main elements of the mindset it will be clear to see if your people are consistently displaying the characteristics of an optimal mindset. And if they are not, then it’s time to turn negatives into positives and start reaping the benefits of employees who are committed, fulfilled and motivated to work together and do the best job they possibly can, whatever the circumstances.
The four components of an Optimal Mindset
A healthy, optimal mindset is a combination of the following:
1. Ownership and Responsibility
With the right mindset, people will actively seek out and embrace responsibility and are happy to take ownership of their roles. They are empowered with a determination for successful outcomes and see a clear way forward when faced with new challenges and obstacles to progress. Their driving motivation will be to see the process through from beginning to end in a solution focused way, providing a sense of achievement and satisfaction – certain in the knowledge that they have done their best for the customer and treated them as they would like to be treated themselves.
2. Optimism
Underpinning this desire for success and progress lies a firm belief and optimism that there is always a solution and a positive outcome in any situation whether it be with a customer, colleague or supplier. Having boundless optimism means buying into the future of the business with a positive attitude, confident in the team’s ability to work together and show strength and resilience, even in the face of adversity and challenge. Optimistic people consistently demonstrate happiness, humour and understanding in action in the workplace, resulting in a myriad of benefits for everyone including increased productivity and wellbeing.
3. Listening and Showing Respect
The ability to listen closely, understand and carefully consider what others have to say is a key component of an optimal mindset. People who have respect for the views and insights of others and can recognise that all feedback is invaluable, seeing setbacks as critical learning tools rather than threats and irritations will be empowered to develop customer centric skills for long-term customer loyalty and rapport. Teams that are equipped to provide solutions that fit customer needs and not their own convenience will strive for long-term solutions rather than shortcuts and quick fixes, understanding that positive actions show customers you really listen and genuinely care about their goals. Having the ability to communicate openly and trust that genius will emerge from the group and not from any one member is a great and powerful team dynamic.
4. Making a difference
People with an optimal mindset are highly motivated and have a strong and inherent belief that they really can and do make a difference; they are confident their contribution is worthwhile and recognised and demonstrate a strong sense of purpose. They feel secure in terms of future career prospects, can look out positively towards broader horizons and clearly see a pathway to ongoing professional growth and development. Having the ability to rise to new challenges with confidence and competence, safe in the knowledge that individual contribution is recognised and valued will generate more optimism and drive, leading to increased productivity and more successful outcomes.
Motivation, reward and success
With an optimal mindset, problems are solved, customers are satisfied and working together and alongside each other is a motivating, rewarding and successful experience. People are ready and willing to power through any challenges that come their way with enthusiasm and confidence. They are trained to see the bigger picture; to take a pause, listen, observe and evaluate the situation in a solution-focused way, calmly considering all of the options before implementing a solid, realistic plan for a swift and efficient outcome. They are committed to providing outstanding service to each and every customer and challenge that comes their way, taking responsibility to see things through and doing whatever it takes to reach a positive solution.
Ensuring that an optimal mindset is inherent within every member of your team is one of the most important foundations you can put in place to ensure the overall success of your business. An optimal mindset is also tangible and observable; we can measure it by simply observing what people say and do in their daily interactions with colleagues and customers, particularly around the language they are using. And the great news is that it’s easily achievable in any organisation with the right toolset and approach.
Achieving an Optimal Mindset is central to MGI’s eLearning Mindset, Language & Actions Toolkit. See how we can help your people to thrive here.
