Why mindset matters

We are asked many questions about how to change behaviour and often the answer lies a few steps deeper with mindset.

Nicky and I (are very excited to) launch #QuestionsOverCoffee this week. We start with explaining why mastering mindset is so important as part of behaviour change.

I like many like a good analogy… If you think of change being a bit like an onion (stick with me), we see the outer layer and often the secondary layers if we peel the outer off - we are conscious of them. But the inner layers, well they are just there, we never give too much thought to them - we are unconscious of them.

Change is similar to this, using Robert Dilts, logical levels of change model (below) it explores six levels of thinking that are critical to change. The principles behind this model is that each level directly affects the level lower in the hierarchy.

So if we put this into the context of behaviour change, you’ll see that behaviour is relatively low down in the levels and the areas about are focused around our thinking and mindset.

It’s no coincidence that when our clients come to us, and they’ve been directly tackling individual, team or business behaviour (outer layers of the onion), they’ve had a limited impact or the change hasn’t been sustained. They’ve put a sticky plaster on the problem.

So, what is going on?

Tackling behaviour from a deeper level than the behaviour itself is an excellent place to start. Using Dilts model, we can move up a layer or two to start to create a consciousness of what is driving the behaviours. If we can make the unconscious thinking conscious, we have a better opportunity of tapping into the mindset and understanding what is causing the behaviour. This is the chance to whip off the sticky plaster and fix the thinking that is creating the undesirable behaviour.

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”

— Carl Jung

Through our tools, coaching and training programmes, we focus on going deeper into the layers of thinking to create conscious change that lasts.

Our Spotlight profiling tool goes way beyond ‘a profile’ and behaviour; it creates a framework for thinking. Clients sometimes say that they have experienced similar tools, Spotlight is different! Spotlight separates mindset from behaviour making it highly usable to support conscious change and adaptability.

Our 1plus12 performance habits programme has also been designed with this in mind. By tapping into the mindset we facilitate behaviour change and knowledge retention. Delivered through engaging participative methods of learning that create unconscious performance habits. These are reinforced by consistent application over 12 weeks.

So next time you’re trying to change your behaviour or support someone else with there’s give some thought to creating deeper change through mindset, or feel free to give us a call 😉.

Ready to change your game?