Cultivating a Growth Mindset in Teams

What if the key to your greatest growth isn’t who you know—but who you don’t know yet? We often think of networking as a tool to achieve immediate goals or professional advancement. But there’s a deeper, more transformative layer to building connections: Infinite Horizon Networking. Here are three distinctive types of networking you need to know about: Short-Term Networking: This is the transactional kind—connecting with someone because you need something right now. Most people don’t enjoy this, and for good reason—it feels self-serving and hollow. Long-Term Networking: This is more thoughtful. You build relationships with people in your field, trusting that over time, something meaningful will come of it. It’s the baseline for responsible professionals. Infinite Horizon Networking: This is where the magic happens. It’s about connecting with people outside your immediate sphere—not because they can help you today or even tomorrow, but because they spark your curiosity. They might be an astronaut, a comedian, or a dog breeder. These "impractical" connections often open doors you couldn’t have predicted and lead to exponential growth. Networking isn’t just a tool for business—it’s a way to expand who you are as a person. It’s about curiosity and creativity, and it’s one of the most rewarding investments you can make in your personal and professional life. Who’s someone in your life right now who inspires you, even though their world is completely different from yours?

An important realization: Failure is a skill. 4 steps to use your next failure to succeed: We've all felt the pain: • A bad review at work that caught you off guard • Passed up for a promotion you felt you had earned • A weak presentation in front of the leadership team • Harsh feedback from a colleague or partner • A missed quarterly sales quota or target Here's the system I developed to fail better—to handle, deconstruct, and use every single failure to set the conditions for future success. Step 1: Set a Failure Timer Give yourself a fixed amount of time (~24 hours) to feel frustrated or angry about the failure. During this time, you don't need to do anything but sit with the feelings and emotions. Allow yourself the grace of that period, but when the time is up, you move forward to the next step. Step 2: Become a Scientist Once you've made it through your grace period, it's time to learn. You need to approach the failure as a scientist does an experiment: Gather Information: What happened? How did it differ from my expectation? Analyze Information: Why might this have happened? What elements of my process might have contributed to this outcome? What are the underlying insights from the unexpected result? The important piece here is that the cold, emotionless, disciplined analysis establishes accountability for the failure that sparks you into your next action. Becoming a scientist means determining the variables that are within your control, understanding them in detail, and focusing your energy on improving them for the next attempt. Step 3: Time Travel Imagine yourself one year from today: You're in flow, celebrating a great success. Looking back at the prior year, you point to the failure you just experienced as the turning point, as the critical moment that set the conditions for this win. Ask your future self a few questions: • What actions did you take to make it so? • What changes did you make in your life after the failure? • What behaviors, mindsets, and routines did you adapt? Use these questions to guide your actions in the present. Step 4: Take Action In my experience, the hardest part of coming back from any failure is putting yourself back out there. Information is nothing without action. In the wake of a failure, default to action. Remember: Action doesn't have to be perfect for it to be right. The world isn't run by perfect people who never failed. The world is run by imperfect people who failed over and over again—but who used every failure to set the conditions for their future success. Maybe that failure you just experienced isn't the end after all. Maybe that failure you just experienced is your starting line. P.S. Interested in self-improvement? Join 800,000+ others who get my free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/esGsF85Q If this resonates, repost to share with others ♻️ and follow Sahil Bloom for more in future. Visual by the talented Pejman Milani!

While using Robotics & Automation in our earlier stint at Asian Paints, we always went into the details of system design, functionality, and the underlying tech stack, this helped us to effectively implement these systems faster and reduced the commissioning time significantly. The organisation encouraged this detailed exploration, but our personal curiosity was a driving force. Transitioning from 'Users' to 'Creators' at Addverb, we were amateurs at organisation-building, and that was compensated by our curiosity. It helped us in shaping our work culture, defining our product portfolio, and selecting the right team. Curiosity, more than a mindset, proved to be a tool for asking questions, finding solutions, connecting with people, and navigating a rapidly changing world. Organisations can foster curiosity through different ways, for instance Greg Dyke, who, before officially becoming director general of the BBC, spent five months asking employees, "What is the one thing I should do to make things better for you and for viewers and listeners?”. This helped him get new perspectives, which would not come in the normal course of conversation, Brian Grazer, the famous Hollywood producer would schedule “Curiosity Conversation” with professionals from different backgrounds like scientists, spies, business leaders, adventurers, and this inspired him to create iconic movies like A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, 8 Mile, American Gangster, and many more. At Addverb, we try and consistently promote a culture of curiosity, urging individuals to ask questions and fostering employee connect through programs like "Curious by Choice." This initiative teaches the art of nurturing curiosity. This emphasis on understanding, connection, and continuous growth ensures that our workplace thrives on a foundation of curiosity. As we continue to evolve the future of work, it’s important that we understand that inculcating curiosity will have a big role to play in it. How can curiosity be harnessed to enhance collaboration in a virtual environment? In what ways can leaders nurture curiosity? #Addverb #curiosity #culture #leadership

In a world where stability feels comforting, your capacity to navigate uncertainty determines what's truly possible. According to McKinsey & Company's 2025 Adaptability Index, organizations with high change readiness outperform competitors by 52% in market share growth and demonstrate 47% faster recovery from market disruptions. Here are three ways to transform change resistance into strategic advantage: 👉 Create "future-back thinking" rituals. Regularly practicing visualization of desired future states before mapping backward reduces change anxiety by 64%. Design structured processes that normalize positive future imagination as a core organizational competency. 👉 Implement "change partnership" protocols. Pair stability-oriented team members with naturally adaptive colleagues to create balanced change navigation teams. These partnerships demonstrate 3.4x greater implementation success than traditional top-down change management. 👉 Practice "possibility mapping". Replace threat-response with opportunity identification when disruption emerges. Build adaptive capacity by immediately documenting three potential advantages for every perceived challenge in the change landscape. This works and neuroscience confirms it: constructive change engagement activates your brain's reward pathways rather than threat responses, enhancing creativity, reducing cortisol, and enabling higher-order problem-solving. Your organization's resilience isn't built on rigid planning—it emerges from a culture where change becomes the most reliable competitive advantage. Coaching can help; let's chat. Follow Joshua Miller #executivecoaching #change #mindset

𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨: 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 In today’s dynamic professional landscape, networking has emerged as a fundamental skill for career success. Industry leaders across various sectors have honed their networking strategies, paving the way for their continued growth and influence. Here are the dos and don’ts that I want to share here: 𝐃𝐨𝐬: 1. 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: Actively participate in networking events and sessions to expand your network. Exchange business cards for sharing contacts and follow up with personalized messages or email communication. 2. 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: Networking is a two-way street. Be willing to offer support as and when needed. Share your expertise or learnings with others in your network if it helps strengthen connections. 3. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: Engage regularly with network professionals on platforms like LinkedIn to stay connected. Be part of relevant groups and participate in discussions to gain visibility and build relationships. 4. 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐮𝐩: Don't hesitate to follow up after initial interactions. Sometimes, if you haven't heard back, a polite follow-up can reignite the conversation and lead to further opportunities. 5. 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲: Networking is not just about speaking and presenting yourself. Take the time to listen to others and be open to hearing their interests and insights. Authentic connections are built on mutual understanding and respect. 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭𝐬: 1. 𝐁𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Not every networking interaction will lead to immediate success. Don't be discouraged by rejection and keep pursuing opportunities. The right connections will come in time. 2. 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟: While it's important to highlight your skills and experiences, avoid overselling yourself. Focus on adding value to your connections and building mutually beneficial relationships. 3. 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐥𝐲: Don't approach networking solely as a means to gain something for yourself. Instead, focus on building genuine relationships based on mutual respect and shared interests. A professional network is like raising a child. "𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 -- 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 -- 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡." Ready to level up your networking game? Share one networking tip or experience that has been instrumental in your career journey in the comments below! Let’s learn and grow together. #NetworkingTips #ProfessionalGrowth

Unveiling the Science of Curiosity - A Journey of Discovery At our recent offsite, we were exploring the theme of going back to school and rekindling some of our childhood. I usually like to have intriguing conversations with my teams during offsites. As I explored what I should talk about at this offsite, I thought about the typical characteristics of being a child, and one thing that stood out to me was the topic of curiosity. Don’t you remember being curious about everything during your childhood? I do, and that’s why we decided to delve a bit deeper into it. Curiosity, defined as a strong desire to learn or know something, is the spark of excitement that stimulates and energizes us. But then, why aren’t we curious all the time? My research revealed that curiosity thrives in the gap between what we know and what we don’t - a space I like to call “The Knowledge Gap”. Curiosity peaks when we have just enough information to be intrigued, but not so much that the mystery is gone. Studies have also shown that people with higher levels of curiosity tend to learn and grow faster. The key, therefore, is to create that surprise element of “The Knowledge Gap”. Curiosity is primarily of two types - Perceptual (exploring new sensory experiences) and Epistemic (seeking knowledge through questions and research). The latter is critical for growth and development. But how do we cultivate it? The answer lies in science. Curiosity engages key brain regions: the prefrontal cortex (planning, decision-making), hippocampus (memory formation), and amygdala (emotion processing). Science shows that optimal learning occurs when these areas are activated. How can we then cultivate curiosity? I found the AIDA model effective for this: - Attention/Awareness - Interest - Desire - Action Often, we end up just stopping at attention or awareness, and then wonder why our initiatives didn’t work as intended. I found that a great way to introduce a bit of surprise is activating the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) - this engages the amygdala and sparks deep interest. Research indicates that social and physical pain activate similar brain regions, and therefore FOMO (a kind of social pain), is extremely effective. Next, combining novelty and What’s In It For Me (WIIFM) with FOMO activates the hippocampus, building desire. Finally, the prefrontal cortex kicks in, leading to action and decision making. In summary: Curiosity drives Learning Learning fosters Inclusion Inclusion leads to Innovation These elements foster an entrepreneurial culture where everyone thrives. I’m excited to experiment with this framework. Are you curious to explore it too? I’d love to hear your thoughts and the results of your experiments! Let’s be curious, together! #Curiosity #Learning #Inclusion #Innovation #Neuroscience #FOMO

Ever felt like quitting LinkedIn right after seeing a rude comment? It’s tough when you realize that being visible also draws critics, even trolls. I’ve been there, and here’s what I’ve learned about dealing with negativity without losing my cool or damaging my credibility. 1) Separate Emotion from Intent Not all criticism is bad. Sometimes, it’s feedback that can help you grow. If it’s constructive, thank the person and see what you can improve. If it’s pure negativity, don’t let it rent space in your head. 2) Pick Your Battles When you’re tagged in something controversial or completely irrelevant, pause before you respond. Ask yourself: Does replying help my personal brand or hurt it? Sometimes, the best response is no response at all. 3) Set Boundaries If someone repeatedly tags you in off-topic posts or keeps leaving harmful comments, it’s okay to tell them to stop. And if they don’t listen, remember you can block or report them. Your mental well-being and professional image matter. 4) Stay Professional No matter how harsh the words, keeping your response calm and polite protects your reputation. Take a breath, think it through, and if you decide to reply, do it carefully. 5) Focus on Your Supporters For every negative voice, there are usually many who genuinely appreciate what you share. Spend your time interacting with those positive people instead. Criticism is part of growing a presence online. The bigger your platform, the louder the noise may become. Learn what you can, leave the rest, and keep moving forward. How do you handle negativity on LinkedIn? Let me know in the comments!

Throughout my flying career, I was surrounded by the greatest fighter pilots in the world. I felt privileged to learn and fly with them, but I often felt out of my element. As I joined these high performing teams, my inner critic regularly told me I wasn't good enough, which made me hesitate and second-guess how I showed up. Luckily, I learned that self-doubt wasn't a reflection of my potential, but an emotion to acknowledge. Here's what I discovered along the way: 💡 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 - an internal narrative. Once you learn to recognize and challenge these thoughts, you open doors to new possibilities. You'll find yourself taking on challenges you previously thought impossible, leading to: • Increased confidence • Career advancement • A sense of fulfillment 💡 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘀𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹. Start by keeping a thought journal for a week: • Write down any negative self-talk you notice. • Look for patterns like "I'm not good enough" or "I'll probably fail." • Challenge these thoughts by looking at the evidence. Often, you'll find these beliefs aren't based on facts. 💡 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵. When faced with a challenging task, instead of thinking, "I can't do this," try, "This is a chance to learn something new." • Set small, achievable goals related to the challenge. • Acknowledge small victories. • Seek feedback from trusted colleagues and mentors to gain new perspectives. Remember, just like I learned to trust my abilities in the cockpit, you too can overcome self-doubt. It's a journey, but with each step, you're building the confidence. << What advice would you give for someone dealing with crippling self-doubt? >> ------------------------ Hi, I'm Michelle. I'm a former fighter pilot turned speaker, author, and coach. If you found this helpful, consider reposting ♻️ and follow me for more content like this.

I'm currently working with an organization struggling with low trust internally. In addition to undermining collaboration, performance, and engagement, the environment of low trust is eroding people's curiosity about each other and driving criticism, defensiveness, stonewalling, and condemnation. Via coaching, training, and facilitation, I'm helping people shift from judgment of others to curiosity about others. Not only is this shift important for the vitality of my client, it's crucial to individual and collective functioning and well-being generally. Indeed, the polarization plaguing societies around the world is a product of rapid judgment of others and inadequate curiosity about what drives them and what we have in common. But what if we paused for a moment? What if we chose curiosity over condemnation? Being less judgmental and more curious can transform both your professional and personal life. Here’s why: 👉 Professionally: It fosters innovation, collaboration, and better decision-making. When we approach colleagues and ideas with curiosity, we uncover diverse perspectives and solutions. 👉 Personally: It deepens relationships and helps us navigate conflicts with empathy. Instead of reacting to someone’s words or actions, we can seek to understand the “why” behind them. Here are three practical strategies to cultivate curiosity and reduce judgment: 1️⃣ Ask Open-Ended Questions Replace assumptions with questions like, “What led you to that perspective?” or “Can you help me understand your thought process?” Questions create space for deeper dialogue and understanding. 2️⃣ Pause Before Reacting When you feel triggered or tempted to judge, take a moment to reflect. Ask yourself, “What else could be true here?” This brief pause can shift your mindset from judgment to exploration. 3️⃣ Challenge Your Biases Actively seek out different perspectives, whether through books, conversations, or experiences. Exposing yourself to new ideas helps you grow and appreciate the complexity of others’ viewpoints. The next time you find yourself ready to judge, try shifting your mindset. Ask, “What can I learn from this?” and "What's it like for the other person?" You will be surprised at the insights that come your way and at how much richer and rewarding your relationships become. What strategies do you use to stay curious and open-minded? #curiosity #connection #relationships

𝗜 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝟮 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯. 𝗠𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱, “𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝘁.” At first, I was frustrated. I thought initiative should be rewarded instantly. But what I lacked wasn’t talent or effort—it was professional patience. Over the past year, I’ve learned that patience and persistence aren’t just nice-to-have—they’re career essentials. Here’s what helped me develop both: 📍𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 In corporate life, results don’t show up overnight. Long-term projects, client feedback, internal approvals—it all takes time. I started tracking my own growth—skills learned, tasks handled, problems solved—so I didn’t rely on others for validation. 📍𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Persistence isn’t about working harder; it’s about working consistently. I created simple routines—weekly learning goals, progress reviews, and daily task planning—to stay on track without burning out. 📍𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀’ Some get promoted in a year, others take three. I learned to run my own race, and that patience isn’t waiting—it’s actively preparing while trusting the process. The result? That “not yet” from my manager turned into “Let’s discuss your next step” six months later—because I showed persistence with patience. How do you stay patient and persistent in your career? Share below 👇 #CareerGrowth #PatienceAtWork #LongTermSuccess #CorporateLessons