Business leaders across industries and sectors and from organizations of all sizes are exploring how they should lead in the new post-COVID era and increasing market turbulence. The moment we are in is being defined by rapidly changing technology, employer, and customer expectations, all against a backdrop of global unrest and a demographic transition.

As a result, there’s also a collective search for new strategies and frameworks to help business and people leaders be effective as they lead their organizations and team through this unique landscape.

Cultivate A Growth Mindset

Mindsets are the framework or mental lenses that dictate what information we take in. They help us make sense of and navigate situations we encounter.

And one of the best investments a leader can make for themselves and their team culture is intentionally and systematically activating a growth mindset.

Decades of research have found that those with a growth mindset are mentally primed to approach and take on challenges, take advantage of feedback, adopt the most effective problem-solving strategies, and be effortful and persistent in seeking to accomplish goals.

Yet, Dr. Carol Dweck, a leading expert on motivation and achievement goal theory and author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, found that only 40 percent of people have a “growth mindset.”

Even during times of crisis, a leader with a growth mindset sees the opportunity and focuses on continual growth and development.

Think Like an Owner, Not an Employee

Growth, progress, and capitalizing on opportunities often come from the micro-decisions employees make across the team daily, usually when leadership is not around.

Cultivating an owner’s mindset within your team will fundamentally change the opportunities that surface and what your team ultimately does with them. It’s about empowering your team with the autonomy to make intelligent decisions, take responsibility, and the initiative to move forward without waiting to be told what to do to achieve the desired outcome.

Put People First

Entrepreneurs realize early on that you can only go so far as a solo effort. Ultimately, the ability to grow and hit your goals will come down to the talent and dedication of a solid team.

This means taking care of your team – and it goes beyond the rational benefits they get from working at the company (salary, vacation, benefits, flexible work hours, etc.).  It’s also about the emotional benefits of how working at your company makes people feel (trusted, respected, valued, etc.).

Putting people first requires active listening and deliberate action. Fostering a people-first culture starts with what leaders themselves do more than they say, a shared sense of purpose and values, and the behaviours they reward, not just the results.

At Level5 Strategy, we recently underwent an exercise to revisit and refresh our Purpose, Vision, Mission, Values, and Employee Value Proposition. The process was built to ensure alignment, accountability, and commitment to the journey at Level5. One particular importance was engaging teammates at all levels throughout the company to share their perspectives, insights, and beliefs about the firm and what it meant to work here.

In times of rapid change, it’s the team culture and connection that will give companies the competitive edge – and central to this strategy is a people-first culture.

Founded in 2002, Level5 Strategy is an insight-driven strategy and transformation consulting firm. We’ve worked with 300+ of North America’s leading B2B and B2C brands. Clients choose Level5 for tailored solutions which enhance market performance, achieve growth aspirations, and create sustainable competitive advantage.

Partner with Level5 and experience how our people and approach foster long-term relationships with our clients.