What does mindset really mean when we talk about leadership?

Mindset sounds like a buzzword that doesn’t mean much – but the truth is that your mindset is everything when you’re leading a team. You can have a great attitude and excellent leadership skills, but without the right mindset, your team and its results are limited.

Mindset isn’t just your perspective but a combination of your perspective, approach and most importantly your expectations.

When one of my clients has a team that’s underperforming, I immediately want to learn more about the mindset of the leader. Specifically, I’m watching for these three assumptions in how they speak about the team’s performance – and that assumption will often point me in the direction of what must change in order to get the results they desire.

  1. Assuming that repeated success is a given. Our team created amazing results last time – so we assume the same will happen with this project. This assumption leads us to cut corners on the systems and processes, under-support our personnel, and overlook analysis that could help us understand why they succeeded last time. Don’t check out just because your team has handled a similar project in the past.

  2. Assuming that the team is motivated by one thing without asking. It’s normal for us to make educated guesses on how to get our team to perform better, based on previous results. That’s what leadership often boils down to! But we must stay present to the fact that everything from personal life to season of the year can impact our team members’ motivations and workload capacity. Asking them how you can support them and keep them motivated will get you further than assumptions.

  3. Assuming that someone specific will underperform. Every team has varying levels of dependability and skill sets. However, I challenge you to not assume that a specific team member or members will underperform. If you expect little, you’ll inevitably receive little in return – and you’ll end up taking on more of the work than you must. Instead, partner with each team member to ensure they have a process for the results you need.

Have you made these assumptions as a leader before? What would happen if you took a different set of assumptions into your next team meeting?



My name is Laura Weldy, and I’m a women’s leadership coach. I help women in the workplace become confident leaders by tackling their mindset head on so they can think like a leader before they have the job title. I do this through professional coaching, virtual coaching, small group masterminds and powerful courses. If you’re looking to become more successful and fulfilled at work, let’s talk! I’d love to help you build an action plan for success. Click here to apply for a free coaching consultation with me directly!