Practical Application: A Simple Mindset Shift Exercise

One of the most powerful and practical ways to shift your mindset toward a more collaborative one is through a simple daily practice called "Collaborative Re-Framing." This technique is designed to move you from a scarcity, fixed, or negative mindset to one of abundance, growth, and positivity.

Read my blog, Fountains Vs Drain: Two Mindsets to Make or Break a Collaboration first and then try this technique:

At the end of each day, take 5-10 minutes to reflect on your interactions. Don't just think about what happened; actively re-examine them through a new lens.

  1. Identify a "Drain" Moment: Think of one interaction or challenge from your day that felt like a "drain"—a moment of conflict, a project roadblock, or a time you felt frustrated.

  2. Analyze the Mindset: Ask yourself: What mindset was guiding me or the team in that moment?

    • Scarcity? (Was I worried about who would get credit or resources?)

    • Fixed? (Did I think, "This is impossible," or, "I'm just not good at this?")

    • Negative? (Did I immediately focus on what was wrong instead of what could be right?)

  3. Re-Frame it as a "Fountain" Moment: Now, rewrite the narrative. How could you have approached that same situation with an abundance, growth, or positive mindset?

    • Instead of scarcity: "How can we share resources to make this project stronger for everyone?"

    • Instead of fixed: "What can we learn from this setback that will help us solve the problem?"

    • Instead of negative: "What's one small step we can take to move forward, and what positive outcome might that lead to?"

By consistently re-framing your experiences, you're training your brain to seek collaborative opportunities and solutions. This isn't about ignoring problems; it's about conditioning your mind to see challenges not as threats, but as opportunities to build stronger partnerships and better outcomes.