Page 15 - Dainfern Precinct_Issue2_2022

BUSINESS

SHIFT 1

FROM EXPERT MINDSET TO
BEGINNER’S MINDSET
The shifts that we’re going to talk
about can be difficult, really difficult
because, in the past, we recruited
and rewarded according to the old
types of mindsets. And when you
grew up in the context of your family
unit, at school, in organisations, you
were rewarded for your expertise,
and for being gifted at what you
do. To be better able to handle the
disruptiveness of our environment
now, we need a beginner’s mindset
because your assumptions and your
experience are going to get in the
Photographer: Mohamed Nohassi, Unsplash unprecedented times, how can catch them saying things that shut enough. We know that if we stop
way.
If we are truly operating in

we hope to have experience and
assumptions that will address those
Photographer: Towfiqu Barbhuiya, Unsplash
unprecedented times? We need to
gather as many ideas as possible.
what we’re doing we’re not being
down opportunities and just add the
We do this by applying a beginner’s
agile and we’re not responding to
word 'yet' to that sentence.
mindset to overcome our biases -
questioning everything, suspending
judgment, and listening properly.
paper, write expert on the left, and
The other thing about perfection is

beginner on the right. Where would
that it is always subjective. There is
If you have children in your family, On the first line on your piece of relentless change.
you put your mindset at the moment?
you will know how possible it is for a You don’t have to show it to anybody, rarely an objective measure of what
young mind to come up with different this is just a little moment of self- is perfect because it depends on how
opportunities. You give a four-year reflection to think about the mindset we see perfection. When we shift our
old a fork and ask them how many shifts you might want to make. mindset to ‘done’, what we do is we
ways would they be able to use it. invite feedback and collaboration from
What would that fork be for? By the other people. Is this done yet? So
time it takes you to think of three SHIFT 2 again we’re bringing ‘yet’ back into the
ways you would use the fork they conversation. It aligns with the progress
have probably rattled off about 20 FROM PERFECTION TO DONE principle which rewards small wins.
uses. That imagination and what’s Our second shift is ‘done is better So every time that we make progress
possible in a beginner’s mindset is than perfect’. It means letting go of because we’ve got another thing
actually incredible. perfection. One of the challenges ‘done’, we get lovely brain chemistry,
with perfection is that it can often we get dopamine hits coming that
In Zen Buddhism we call it Shoshin, create paralysis - we stop what we’re actually create more resilience in our
the beginner’s mind. doing because it’s just not good people and in our organisations.
IN THE BEGINNER’S MIND THERE ARE
MANY POSSIBILITIES, IN THE EXPERT’S
MIND THERE ARE FEW
One of the easiest ways to move into
a beginner’s mindset is to use the
work of Carol Dweck on the growth
mindset. This is a little tool that I use
every day. It’s the power of ‘yet’ -
three little letters. When we add the
word yet to the end of our sentences,
we find that we create opportunities to
think about things in a different way.
There’s a real permissiveness, we get
permission to try. I can’t do this, yet.
This doesn’t work, yet. I don’t know,
yet. That little word opens up amazing
opportunities for us when it comes to
thinking differently.

And I think it can be a really lovely
thing to do around your peers to be
able to help them, to coach them, to
Photographer: Amadeo Valar, Unsplash
13
DPL