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Why “Mindset / Thinking Style” Matters

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Achieving goals and having success is greatly determined by how a person thinks and their mindset.

Extending on this, with the “ Thinking Style ” being similar in Startups and Disruptive Innovation in Enterprises, the following provides insights on the different “ Mindsets ” to help in assessing what is needed in “ The Team “ to improve the probability of success and managing the risks associated with effecting meaningful change.

Depending on the Enterprise Innovation / Startup objectives, growth expectations, risk tolerance, culture, etc., this analysis is intended to help in determining what is needed to augment the competencies, skills, attributes, personalities, etc. of those currently in the group with the additional capabilities needed to have a talented and highly competent Brain Trust so the organization is better positioned to achieve the desired results.

Scenario / Mindset Analysis

Given the importance of the team meaningfully improving outcomes and managing the many risks associated with change, for the following scenarios, the required “ Mindset “ to achieve success is –

*Entrepreneur Mindset  :  curious,  exploring,  innovative,  future oriented,  more risk tolerant 
Institutional  Mindset    :  operations and process oriented, with there being potentially a lot to lose with change , there is a low risk tolerance and marginal innovation.   Other references to this mindset or thinking style are – conventional, traditional, accreditation based, etc.

To see the attributes of each, see  “ Mindset / Thinking Style  Insights “ article at  www.cail.com/BI

With each “ Mindset “ having important qualities and that many scenarios benefit with both, to meaningfully improve outcomes from innovation, it is essential to –

  1. Get the balance and competencies right for each scenario
  2. Have Leadership :
    • with strong look ahead and conviction
    • who are accomplished at effecting change
    • that is becoming better at managing the changing nature of risk
      …. in the C-Suite, in the innovation team, in the enterprise
  3. Evolve the culture to be more entrepreneurial
  4. Ensure high calibre talent for each mindset is on the team

Next  Steps

Determine :

  1. What “ Scenario “  best describes your situation –  Today ?   In the Future ?
  2. What additional “ Thinking Style “ would improve the competencies of the group(s) responsible for innovation / preparing the organization for the future ?
  3. Who has the complementing capabilities to enable the organization have the “ Mindset “ needed to innovate for impact ?
  4. When bringing on additional talent, how do we need to be organized to leverage these new competencies and better position the organization for success ?
    and / or
  5. Do an Innovation Assessment – to better understand how to meaningfully improve outcomes from innovation
    and / or
  6. Contact CAIL (info@cail.com or call 905-940-9000) to share insights on Innovating for Impact

May 28, 2021      CAIL Innovation Commentary

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