Mindset refers to the way people think about, feel about and act towards any situation with they are faced. It determines : • How people see problems• The assumptions they make• The way they define opportunities and threats in the market• The way they assess strengths and weakness• The areas of priority the identify• The way they rationalise away problems and justify inaction• The solution they come up with• The way they go about changing or effecting change

SUMMARY• there are six common missing links or internal gaps in management, which need

to be bridged before an organisation can be expected to respond to change.• The Competence-Performance Gap exist when a person’s actual performance

remains far below the person’s ability, due to low motivation.• The Competence-Resources Gap exists when inadequate resources and support

are provided to a person who has the ability to perform.• The Responsibility-Authority Gap exist when a person is given the responsibility

but not the authority to do a job.• The Performance-Reward Gap exist when the rewards given are not aligned to

performance.• The Responsibility-Information Gap exists when a person is not given adequate

or accurate information to work effectively.• The Perception-Reality Gap exists when what is perceived is very different from

the actual situation at hand.

SUMMARY• There are seven typical Down Syndromes that afflict organisations and block

any initiative to change.• Under the Paralysis By Analysis Syndrome, most change initiatives are blocked

by requiring more study and analysis.• Under the No Action Talk Only (NATO) Syndrome, leaders pay lip service to the

virtues of change but never actually carry their words through to action.• Under the Hopelessness Through Helplessness Syndrome, people in the

organisation feel they powerless to do anything productive.• Under the Talk It Down Syndrome, every initiative for change is viewed

negatively and shot down before it has a chance to be tried.• Under the Passionate Historian Syndrome, people are locked into old ways of

doing things, even if these are no longer valid or relevant.• Under the Escapist Syndrome, people avoid addressing any problems and issues

facing the organisation by sweeping them under the carpet.• Under the Short-term, Inward and Narrow (SIN) Syndrome, people do not look

to the future or the outside world, and they have a very narrow perspective on issues facing the company.

DIAGRAM 3 : THE MINDSET MODEL

CONTINUOUS ACHIEVERSGood achievement record, enthusiastic and responsive to change

ENLIGHTENED PROFESSORSGood past achievement record, entrenched and resistant to change

YOUNG LINCOLNSLow achievement record, enthusiastic and responsive to change

MIDDLE-AGED CLERKSLow achievement record, entrenched and resistant to change

COMPLACENCY HIGHLOW

LOW

HIGH

ACHI

EVEM

ENT

DIAGRAM 4 : THINKING, FEELING, ACTION (TFA) ANALYSIS

DIAGRAM 5 : MOVING WITHIN THE 4-MINDSET MODEL

COMPLACENCY

ACHI

EVEM

ENT

HIGH

HIGH

LOW

LOW

CONTINOUSACHIEVERS

YOUNGLINCOLNS

ENLIGHTENEDPROFESSORS

MIDDLE-AGEDCLERKS

TABLE 3 : DECREASING COMPLACENCY

MINDSETDRIVES THINKING FEELING ACTION

1. Set higher goals Get people to think bigger, higher and better

Get people excited about higher goals

Help people take the right action towards higher goals

2. Liberate talents Encourage people to think positively about their abilities and talents

Get people excited about discovering new abilities and talents

Help people apply their abilities and talents at work

3. Appeal to self-esteem

Get people to think of higher achievement as the key to better self-esteem

Get people to feel good about themselves when they achieve more

Get people to take up the right opportunities at work

4. Present work as a challenge

Get people to think of work as a challenge to achieve new records

Get people excited about overcoming challenges

Give people encouragement to surmount challenges

5. Compare with peer performance

Make people understand that competition is healthy and rewarding

Exert the right pressure to make them want to outperform themselves

Provide clear, measurable results to encourage fair competition

TABLE 4 : INCREASING ACHIVEMENTMINDSETDRIVES THINKING FEELING ACTION

1. Provide opportunities for achievement

Highlight the benefits of achievement

Get people excited making use of opportunities

Help people take the right action to achieve desired goals

2. Empower people to achieve

Emphasis the benefits of empowerment

Make it safe for people to use their new power

Ensure that people use empowerment effectively

3. Recognise and reward outstanding achievement

Teach people to appreciate the inherent value of achievement

Make people feel good about achieving new goals

Provide ways for people to improve and achieve more

4.Increase skills, knowledge and experience

Get people to think about the value of increased competence

Get people excited about learning, growing and improving

Provide the appropriate training and experience

5.Build the confidence and courage to achieve

Get people to think about the importance of taking risks

Get people motivated to take risks

Provide the necessary support and safety net for people to take risks

SUMMARY

• Changing an organisation first requires understanding and changing employees’ mindset.

• An individual’s mindset is a function of his or her levels of achievement and complacency.

• There are four types of mindset : Continuous Achievers, Young Lincolns, Enlightened Professors and Middle-aged Clerks.

• To change mindset, managers must change the Thinking, Feeling and Action (TFA) of their employees.

• By decreasing complacency and increasing achievement using TFA analysis, managers can make employees change from one mindset to another, more productive one.