Three Types of Mind II

The shift from one type of mind to the next is not something that can be easily taught. It is something that evolves to the degree that you are able to minimize your fears and expand your consciousness. We evolve from a socialized mind to a self-authoring mind to the degree we are able to overcome our anxieties and fears, individuate, and feel confident about our own capabilities to survive and thrive—our ability to adapt and master life’s challenges. We evolve from a self-authoring mind to a self-transforming mind to the degree that we can detach from the outcomes we think we need, and live in the expectation that we will get exactly what we need to get to the best outcome. This way of being aligns with a spiritual approach to life: the ability to trust in a beneficent universe; the ability to dissolve your attachment to a specific outcome; and the ability to remain at ease with uncertainty. In the industrial age, organisations mainly wanted employees with socialized minds. They wanted people who were good team players, pulled their weight, were loyal to the company, and could be counted on to follow conscientiously the directions or instructions given to them by their bosses. Today, in the information age, organisations mainly want flexible and knowledgeable employees—people who are able to act responsibly, take initiatives, and work independently. They are looking for people with self-authoring minds. What type of mind are you operating with? If you are managing people who do repetitive tasks that do not require too much initiative—people with socialized minds—you will need to have a self-authoring mind. If you are managing people who are constantly being challenged to innovate and find new solutions—people with self-authoring minds—you will need to have a self-transforming mind. In either case, to build a high performing team, you will need to give all team members the opportunity to express their ideas and opinions about their work. This means that you will need to get past the idea that you have all the right answers and that your job as a leader is just to tell people what to do. You will need to be skilled in personal mastery if you are going to manage at team. You will only be successful as a leader of a team if you are able to support your team members in finding fulfilment. And, you will only be able to do this, if you know and understand what type of minds your team members possess and what fulfilment looks like for them.