The term outward mindset can be simplified as thinking beyond yourself. Dig deeper and you find that it’s really an underlying attitude that your design was meant not to serve self, but to serve others. In faith circles, an outward mindset leadership style is often called servant leadership. It finds roots in humility and often manifests in a willingness to put the needs of employees first and to share or delegate authority.

An outward mindset allows desires of self-service to be placed below the needs of an organization, coworkers, business partners, and goals. It’s a practice that develops over time. You may never reach a perfected outward mindset, but as you exercise selflessness, others around you will begin not only to be impacted by your commitment to serving others but may also develop their own outward mindset.

In business, an outward mindset can work from the top-down. Offering an other’s-centric model in the workplace will change the dynamic of your operation. If your entire team begins to work with an outward mindset your clients will benefit, meaning that your business will benefit. The benefit of an outward mindset or servant leadership is that everyone feels valued, beginning with your staff and flowing down to your clients. In return, business grows, and you may also reap the benefits of your outward mindset.

In an article by the Arbinger Institute, the author encourages leaders not to wait until they have perfected the outward mindset before encouraging subordinates to also practice it. Their reasoning is that you may be waiting a long time or you may never reach a perfected state. The article encourages the reader not to let a lapse hurt your progress. They share that everyone lapses in their other’s-focused mindset from time to time. So, what are some steps to practicing an outward mindset?

Action Step:

• Read more of the Arbinger Institute’s articles on outward mindset.
• Make a list of ways that you can begin to practice an outward mindset in the office or in your personal life.
• Don’t get discouraged when you lapse in your outward mindset progress. Keep moving forward.
• Encourage your team to implement the steps above.

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