Mindset Shift – Be honest, what are you thinking?

In our work lives, how we think really matters. Looking back, I’ve noticed how my attitude towards mornings shifted over the years. From hiding under the covers in my 20s to eagerly starting the day with yoga or a swim now, my mindset plays a big role not just in my personal life but also in my business.

There are many layers to our professional lives, following are the 3 distinct phases I’ve identified:

The Worker Mindset:
In the early career stages, it’s about doing your tasks, managing time, and trying to get noticed for promotions.

The Manager Mindset:
As you climb up, you start thinking about planning, managing tasks, and making sure your team is doing well.

The Director Mindset:
At the top, it’s more about planning for the future, thinking big, and making sure the company is going in the right direction. Bringing your people with you.

Transitioning Between Mindsets: Switching from one mindset to another, especially from managing to directing, can be complicated. Some find it hard to move from handling day-to-day tasks to thinking about the bigger picture. Moving from reactive to proactive. This process takes time and requires more than a desk shift, it often requires coaching and learning what you don’t know. It’s not task based, it’s behaviourial and strategic.

Why Mindset Shift is Important: To be really successful in leadership roles, you need to change your way of thinking. Moving from managing to directing means taking charge of planning, making decisions that look ahead, and thinking beyond what needs to be done today.

Your mindset and how you approach work matters. Whether you’re just starting, managing others, or leading a whole company, the key is to think about your job in a way that matches where you want to go. So, ask yourself: Are you thinking about your work in a way that lines up with where you want to end up?