The way I see it, leaders should provide a compelling vision that inspires those around them.
Too often, people in leadership positions lapse into automatic and mindless thinking, according to Rob-Jan de Jong, a behavioral strategist and author of Anticipate: The Art of Leading By Looking Ahead (www.robjandejong.com). That can affect every decision they make – and the actions of the people who report to them.
“We think we know ahead of time what will and won’t work, which makes us quick to dismiss ideas that sound too out there,” he says. “The people who answer to you learn the lesson that creative thinking is frowned upon, even if that’s not the lesson you wanted to teach.”
Four practices
De Jong says there are behaviors and practices that, through repetition and perseverance, can help leaders – and anyone else – develop a mindset that’s open to imaginative and better ideas.
1. Formulate powerful questions.
Generating ideas starts with asking the right questions and the best questions are thought-provoking one that challenge underlying assumptions and invite creativity.
“They also give us energy, making us aware of the fact there is something to explore that we hadn’t fully grasped before,” he says.
2. Expand your sphere of influence.
“We are strongly influenced, for better or worse, by the small group of people we have direct contact with,” says de Jong. “Since we tend to hang out with people who are fairly similar to ourselves, chances are we are limiting our perspectives.”
He recommends making a deliberate effort to encounter people and ideas that are “profoundly different from the usual suspects you hang out with.”
3. Break your patterns.
A person can increase their chances of seeing things differently if they deliberately break their normal pattern of working, communicating, thinking, reacting and responding, he says.
4. Learn to listen.
“We’ve all been taught the importance of being good listeners,” says de Jong. “The problem is most of us struggle to actually do it. Often, when people are ‘listening,’ they really are waiting for the first opportunity to share their story, opinion or experience.”
He suggests training yourself to engage in three pure listening conversations a week.
“Vow that you won’t try to take over the conversation no matter how much you want to,” he advises. “Just keep asking questions and don’t dismiss anything the other person says.
“After the conversation, reflect on what you learned. Don’t dismiss any ideas or views that don’t align with yours. Dare to challenge your own assumptions and reframe your beliefs if need be.”
Comfort zones
De Jong notes some of these practices may take people outside their comfort zones, “but if you start to put them into practice, you’ll be able to grow into a more mindful, visionary leader, one step at a time.”