Collective Positive Mentality!

Having just returned from a 2 day endurance bike ride in aid of two charities very close to my heart, I’ve been reflecting on the importance of a positive mindset and how it relates to my role as a leader in the workplace.

Cycling 120 miles of mixed terrain over just two days was never going to be an easy task, but that is a fact I knew when setting out on training all those months ago. What I did learn, or rather, had reaffirmed to me in training and during the ride itself was of the power, not only of the individual, but of the collective positive mindset. As a firm believer and advocate for the positive mindset, I was astonished at how much stronger was its power when honed in on a collective level. For me this was in a team of cyclists but the message is applicable, of course, in our workplaces; to boards of directors, departmental teams, project teams and so on.

The first effect of a group who have a collective positive mindset is that they will be highly motivated to achieve their collective task. Our team of riders were dedicated beyond belief to the ride in question, not only because of their training and the charitable causes we were riding for, but, I believe, because of the collective positive mindset that was in abundance throughout. The cyclists were dedicated to the positive mindset of not only themselves, but to each other and became highly motivated in turn. In the workplace, when a team, rather than an individual alone, have a positive mindset, they are motivated. The dedication and output of a motivated team is larger as a whole than the sum of the individuals could ever be.

The second effect of the collective positive mindset, and a relation to high motivation is the effect of having high morale. With high morale the cyclists had the mentality to get through the ride when it was particularly difficult or tough; with high morale came resilience. Morale and resilience in the work place are invaluable elements of an effective team or organisation; this has been proven even more so by the recent global pandemic.

The final effect of the collective positive mindset that I will discuss in this blog is that of cultivating a supportive environment. Of course, it should fall to leadership teams, be that in our sports groups or in our workplaces, to foster and maintain a supportive environment for all. However, with a collective positive mindset, the supportive environment is maintained and perpetuated by all involved; it no longer falls to one person to uphold and it becomes stronger in turn.

How to create a collective positive mindset, is for a later and longer discussion but it does fall to individual circumstances and of course, great leaders. I’m proud to work in an environment where we cultivate the collective positive mindset and it’s something I will strive to create for all those I work with in the future.

Benjamin Kershaw