Mindsets – the hidden factor in executive team performance

As we continue our series on mindsets, we’ll examine the potential for teams when they can increase the range of their habitual thinking. What do high-performance mindsets in teams look like? 

Every CEO, sports coach, or senior leader knows that getting a team to work effectively together isn’t just about skill, structure, or strategy. Mindset plays a significant part. You can have the most talented people on the team, but creativity, collaboration, and progress can stall if the mindset isn't right. 

How mindsets hold teams back 

What do we mean by mindsets in this context? We’re talking about ingrained, limiting patterns of thinking that negatively impact relationships, effectiveness, and, ultimately, performance. A few quite common examples might bring this to life… 

• Defensive mindsets: When different viewpoints are seen as a personal attack, not an opportunity to bring in diverse perspectives and refine thinking. 

• Territorial mindsets: When leaders become stuck in a perspective that leads them to prioritise their functional interests over collective business outcomes. 

• Fixed mindsets: A powerful mindset, underpinned by a leader’s usually valid belief in their expertise, but to the extent that it closes them down to the possibility that they could be wrong. They already have the correct answer – there is no room for fresh perspectives. 

• Transactional mindsets: when leadership discussions are only seen as linear, problem-solving talks or negotiations. The view that shared explorations have value is absent. 

It will be pretty clear if people in your team are operating out of these mindsets. You’ll see it in their behaviour, but even more clearly, you will hear it in their language. “I don’t need to justify my decisions.” “I can’t commit till I see how it impacts my budget.” “We’ve always done it this way.” “Let’s just vote and move on.” 

If you’re hearing this kind of thing, the real issues in your team are going unspoken. And your organisation is missing out on the full potential of its leadership team. 

Upgrading to high-performance mindsets 

The most effective leadership teams have learned to operate from different mindsets, and 99% of the time, they really had to learn!  

• Curious mindsets allow leaders to approach discussions with the intent to learn, not just persuade (or even dominate). 

• Enterprise mindsets unify team members as a true ‘primary team’, concerned with what’s best for the whole business before their functional priorities. 

• Growth mindsets where challenge and debate are not seen as a threat, but as essential for creativity, innovation, and better decision-making. 

• Mindsets of collective ownership allow leaders to take joint responsibility for successes and failures, rather than shifting blame. 

Learning these mindsets can happen very quickly. Embedding them takes commitment, but it is entirely possible. When your team commits to trying, everything changes. Conversations become more strategic. Decisions improve. And the team moves from struggling with complexity to leading through it. 

If your leadership team isn’t performing at its best, don’t take your eye off the ball regarding strategy and skills. But don’t be fooled into thinking that strategy and skills

alone will get you to high-performance. Optimise your mindsets as well, and you’ll unlock the team's full potential. 

If you’re ready to challenge your thinking, elevate your leadership, and transform your results, we’re prepared to help. Contact Fraser if you think coaching could help you or a colleague.