The Arbinger Institute has helped millions with their books Leadership and Self-Deception and The Anatomy of Peace. Their newest book, The Outward Mindset, reflects their latest research and experience and offers a new and intuitive way to teach people how to implement mindset change in themselves and scale it across organizations, with incredible effect.
One's mindset governs how one views the world, what one does, and how one does it. One's mindset can be self-focused, which Arbinger calls an inward mindset, or it can be inclusive of others, which Arbinger calls an outward mindset. It turns out that our own actions, and others responses to those actions, end up being dramatically different depending on which mindset we are operating from.
The Outward Mindset teaches readers how to shift more fully to an outward mindset and how to help others, even whole organizations, to make that shift a shift that sparks innovation, increases accountability, and transforms collaboration, engagement, and fulfillment."
Nope. Not particularly advanced. Many schemes. Too many schemes, were the authors bitten by an McK consultant? Yeah, some examples are sort of OK, still, the most of the 'juice' feels lefft out of the picture. Probably, to keep competition from using stuff on their own. Again, consulting-style.
Our school district asked everyone to read this book so I did. There are some really great ideas in here to help improve not only relationships with coworkers and students but also with my own family members. It’s easy to get caught up in worrying about ourselves, and this book has great advice and examples on looking outside ourselves. How can I help someone else? How can I make their job better? How is what I’m doing affecting others (good or bad)? This feels like a book that needs to be reread occasionally to remind me of the messages. I think I also will read their other books soon.
There are a gazillion leadership books out there. Everyone has their own philosophy that's making them millions on how to basically be an effing human being. I'm going to write my own leadership book called "Don't be a Dick, Asshole." I think it will be the next big thing.
On a serious note though, this philosophy on "seeing the objectives and goals of others" is a good one. If one must have a framework for leadership, this one is pretty simple: Focus on helping others achieve their goals and all will thrive. In fact, that principle is so simple, I'm not sure it warrants nearly 200 pages and countless diagrams. But still, even the best of us become self-consumed and remembering to focus on the objectives of others (complete with visual aid) may be exactly what some of us need to pull our heads out of our asses and be considerate to others' needs in the workplace.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I read this after completing a two day workshop at my hospital. So the concepts were not new to me. I found the writing a little basic and there are a bunch of illustrations. While it was not a big book, it could have been even smaller if it had been tightened up and better edited. The stories were the best part - they at least could give some context for how the outward mindset could be implemented. It is a good project - but there are several problem with how it's being implemented at my workplace. Chief among them is that I work at a hospital and it's nearly impossible to get people freed up to take this type of intensive training in significant blocks and so it takes a huge amount of time to get people on board. It's been months and I see no significant differences in how the various areas work (either individually or collectively). Okay but not something that I likely would have read on my own.
This is probably great for middle and upper management to pat themselves on the back about how great they are, but after reading this at a bequest from my boss, and seeing how they continue to “lead” and manage those of us on the bottom, it just seems like a joke to me. That’s not entirely the books fault obviously, but I still can’t bring myself to rate it any higher in good conscience because at least in my experience, it didn’t work at all. Nothing at my organization changed or got any better.
Again another book from the ArBinjour Institute which I liked overall. Not as good as the two previous books called anatomy of peace and leadership and self perception But this was good and corroborated a lot of what they said in those previous two books. Here are some my favourite parts from this book
•I can say with certainty captain newson said when those who quit took the first steps towards the bell the moment they stop thinking about the mission and the teammates and started thinking primarily about themselves. So long as they stay focused on the mission and those around them they can get through anything but the moment they start focusing inward and fixating on how cold wet and tired they are it is not a matter of if they will ring out but when they will give up.
•When you play the Spurs you play dynamically adaptive outward mindset organism. We say organism because they are so nice to each other that they appear to act as a single entity. When you watch them play you notice that the ball doesn’t sick in the hands of any player. The moment it would be more advantageous of the ball to be somewhere else the Ball moves there. There is no ego on the floor that keeps the most advantageous moves from happening. When asked what kinds of quality is the Spurs look for in players coach Greg popovic says that they look for players who have gotten over themselves.
•Popovic understands the author of the article writes that without relationship excellence task excellence and superior results are built on feet of clay.
•Why couldn’t they changed have happened earlier? You could have of course. These were highly competent people but without a framework that makes solutions that already exist in an organisation discoverable many tremendously helpful solutions lie dormant. It’s as if an organisation consists of many potential Bluetooth connection is most of which have not been turned on. When you make those devices discoverable to each other they can begin to talk.
•He said what if you asked this question of yourselves if I were to give my heart to this boy what would occur to me to do. He then invited them to act on what occurred to them to do.
"The Outward Mindset" “เพราะมองออกนอกคุณถึงเห็นข้างใน“ โดย The Arbinger Institute การเปลี่ยนจากทัศนคติที่โฟกัสที่ตัวเองไปสู่การมองเห็นและให้ความสำคัญกับผู้อื่นสามารถปรับปรุงความสัมพันธ์, การทำงานร่วมกัน, และการเป็นผู้นำ. หนังสือนี้เน้นการพัฒนาทัศนคติมุมมองจากภายนอกเพื่อเข้าใจและตอบสนองต่อความต้องการของผู้อื่น, สร้างความเข้าใจร่วมกัน, และเสริมสร้างการทำงานร่วมกันในทุกด้านของชีวิต.
I'll admit the final 1/3 of this book is an improvement on the remaining contents, but all in all this book did not get deep enough for me & did not give a compelling enough argument into how exactly to switch to an outward mindset. It mainly focuses on mentality in a work environment and is best suited to managerial positions. Despite this, the part probably best designed for employees of all levels (the character studies in the opener of the book), featured horrifically selfish individuals and I do hope the bar isn't that low for all of us. "This man stopped beating his animals because he realised it upset his son". Oh right ... good for him ... that's definitely what I came here to read ...
Arbinger's core ideas and concepts are powerful and have significantly impacted me over the years. That said, The Outward Mindset failed to add much to their previous works. The book introduced some new language which felt more quaint and reductive than it did informative or helpful. The book wandered and lacked focus. There were a few beautiful stories scattered throughout and I think some would still find it a worthwhile read, particularly if unfamiliar with Arbinger's other works. However, be prepared to wade through several trite examples and cliche frameworks.
Interesting read, but the worst out of all Arbinger Institute books. It feels that topics are covered too briefly and with a lack of any science behind it. Still, it is a good food for thought for everyone to start thinking in a more outward way.
This is a good book and reminder to get outside ourselves, think about the bigger picture, and how what we do affects others, whether in business organizations, teams, or families. When we focus on seeing others as people, listening, leading with humility, and understanding collective results, we can empower ourselves and others. Sometimes we have to be the first to change, but when we look outward we are able to improve and help others to do the same.
Here are a few quotes I liked from the book:
"'How much larger your life would be if your self could become smaller in it (G. K. Chesterton, p. v).'"
"The biggest lever for change is not a change in self-belief but a fundamental change in the way one sees and regards one's connections with and obligations to others. This book is about the difference between a self-focused inward mindset and an others-inclusive outward mindset (p. x)."
"With babies crying and their mothers understandably in hysterics, this most alpha male of all the alpha males on Chip's squad was looking for a way to help them. When Chip sees him, Bob is mixing baby bottles (p. 4)."
"'Why won't you tell me what's bothering you?' Chip asked. 'You wouldn't understand,' his son responded. 'Why?' Chip asked. Then his son gave Chip the answer that perhaps prepared him to hear what Jack had to say: 'Because you'r a robot, Dad.' This comment cut deep. Chip began thinking about the kind of person he had become. He had believed that suspicion and aggression were necessary for survival and success in a vicious, combative, and violent world. But now he started to see that being this kind of person did not put a stop to the viciousness and combat; it actually accelerated it (p. 7)."
"'And what is the most important qualification you look for in a leader?' Mark and Paul felt like they were being cross-examined. 'Humility,' Paul answered. 'That's what distinguishes those who can turn these facilities around from those who can't. Leaders who succeed are those who are humble enough to be able to see beyond themselves and perceive the true capacities and capabilities of their people. They don't pretend to have all the answers. Rather, they create an environment that encourages their people to take on the primary responsibility for finding answers to the challenges they and their facilities face (p. 8).'"
"'Leaders fail...by coming in saying, 'Here's the vision. Now you go execute what I see.' That's just wrong in our view of the world...Although leaders should provide a mission or context and point toward what is possible, what humble, good leaders also do is to help people see. When people see, they are able to exercise all their human agency and initiative. When they do that, they own their work. When people are free to execute what they see, rather than simply enact the instructions of the leader, they can change course in the moment to respond to ever-changing, situation-specific needs. That kind of nimbleness and responsiveness is something you can't manage, force, or orchestrate (p. 10).'"
"A focus on mindset change among Chip's team members led to dramatic improvements in their behaviors and results.... you no longer have to specify everything each team member is supposed to do...As the mindset changes, so does the behavior, without having to prescribe the change (p. 19)."
"Incentive structures, company metrics, career goals, and personal egos all conspire to keep people focused on themselves and their own perceived needs and challenges, usually to the detriment of the team and the enterprise. In short, organizations and their people get inwardly focused, and as a result, they get stuck (p. 22)."
"Notice how people think about and do different things depending on their mindset. With an inward mindset, people behave in ways that are calculated to benefit themselves. With an outward mindset, people are able to consider and behave in ways that further the collective results they are committed to achieve (p. 26)."
"Accountability, collaboration, innovation, leadership, culture, and value to customers all improve as organizations increasingly apply an outward mindset in their strategies, structures, systems, processes, and day-to-day work (p. 27)."
"Notice how the team members exercised their best thinking when they began to see and consider Mr. Tham as a person. The same could be said of Chip's squad members and Louise's executive team. Seeing people as people rather than as objects enables better thinking because such thinking is done in response to the truth; others really are people and not objects (p. 32)."
"For all the advantages that an outward mindset seems to offer, why would people ever be inward? It is tempting to blame difficult circumstances or challenging people. However, in our experience, what keeps people from an outward mindset is themselves. We get in our own way (p. 39)."
"When my mindset is outward, I am alive to and interested in other people and their objectives and needs. I see others as people whom I am open to helping. When my mindset is inward, on the other hand, I essentially turn my back on others; I don't really care about their needs or objectives (p. 46)."
"Within organizations, every person who is burning time and energy seeking justification is doing so at the expense of the contribution he or she could be making to the overall results of the company. The energy-draining, time-wasting, silo-creating effect of this justification seeking is one of the most debilitating of organizational problems (p. 51)."
"With an inward mindset, a person focuses on what he needs from others to achieve his objectives--what he needs from his customers, direct reports, peers, and leaders or from this children, partner, or neighbor. He is primarily concerned with others' impact on him rather than with his impact on them (p. 52)."
"'You don't play with me like you play with Jacob.' 'Sure I do...Every night after I get home from work, we all go out back and play basketball together.' 'I don't like basketball,' Anna whispered. To this day, Joe reflects often on this experience. 'What kind of a father had I been...that I didn't even know that my little girl didn't like basketball? The truth was that I liked playing basketball, and I counted doing it with my kids as good parenting on my part. But Anna helped me see that I wasn't really seeing my kids. Not really. I was doing what I wanted to do with them; I wasn't paying attention to what they wanted to do. I was outwardly nice--even fun-loving--inward-mindset father (p. 58).'"
"Captain Newson's advice to those who wish to successfully complete one of the most difficult training regimens int he world is to focus on the mission and on those around them. His prescription is the outward mindset (p. 59)."
"Inward-mindset people and organizations do things. Outward-mindset people and organizations help others to be able to do things (p. 63)."
"When asked what kinds of qualities the Spurs look for in players, Coach Gregg Popovich says that they look for players who 'have gotten over themselves.' A FOXBusiness article expands one this comment and explores how the Spurs' outward-mindset culture gives them a significant competitive advantage (p. 63)."
"'We are disciplined...but that's not enough. Relationships with people are what it's all about. You have to make players realize you care about them. And they have to care about each other and be interested in each other.' This commitment to each other makes the Spurs players feel a heightened obligation to build their skills and consistently perform at their best. Why? Because that is what their teammates need from them. Their teammates need them to become the best they can be. And with an outward mindset, the players feel an obligation to help each other get better. They owe that to one another (p. 64)."
"Fields was still the only person with a chart that was anything but green. No one was yet willing to follow his lead and give an honest accounting because everyone had expected him to be dismissed after the prior week's meeting. When he showed up the following week with his Edge chart still red, but moving to yellow, and Mulally still smiling at him, the others began to realize that Mulally was for real (p. 75)."
"Seeing themselves correctly in relation to others, the leaders were now positioned to begin seeing others more clearly than before. They only needed to start looking (p. 80)."
"'Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force...Think how the friends that really listen to us are the ones we move toward, and we want to sit in their radius as though it did us good, like ultraviolet rays. This is the reason: When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand. Ideas actually begin to grow within us and come to life (p. 82).'"
"'I used to walk into meetings with customers with an agenda...and I had a whole bunch of fear.' He says that when he learned just to get interested in seeing others, this all changed. Today when Rob calls on customers, his only thought is, How can I help? He isn't there to impress the customers, and he certainly doesn't perform. He just wants to figure out what he can do to help them, and that starts with seeing--trying to understand the needs, objectives, and challenges of others (p. 84)."
"When the Hope Arising team learned about the outward-mindset pattern, they saw that although they had discovered a need and were working on adjusting their efforts to meet that need, they had never thought about how to measure the impact of their work. Consequently, they didn't actually know whether they were meeting the needs of the orphaned and at-risk children they were trying to help. They began to consider how they could measure their actual impact (p. 90)."
"'Don't forget: As far as you are concerned, the problem is you (p. 93).'"
"This is the natural trap in organizations. Executives want employees to change, and employees wait on their leaders. Parents want change in their children, and children wait for the same in their parents. Spouses wait on change in each other. Everyone waits. So nothing happens. Ironically, the most important move in mindset work is to make the move one is waiting for the other to make (p. 94)."
"Sometimes people are afraid to make this move because they think that others may take advantage of them if they do. But people misunderstand the most important move we are talking about if they think that working with an outward mindset when others refuse to do the same makes a person blind to reality or soft on bad behavior. It does neither. In fact, what obscures vision and exposes people to more risk is not an outward mindset, which stays fully alive to and aware of others, but an inward one, which turns its attention away from others while simultaneously provoking resistance (p. 101)."
"In each case, the leaders involved their organizations in pursuing a collective result--that is, a result that at once involved everyone in something much bigger than himself or herself and required that everyone join together with others in order for their efforts to succeed. Chip Huth and his SWAT team together began reimagining what they owed to the members of the community, whether suspects or not. As a new collective vision emerged, the team began mobilizing together to interface with the community in ways that would create the relationship between police and the community that they had imagined. They became determined to show everyone unconditional respect. And this required that they treat each other as members of the team with that same respect (p. 115)."
"Every organization already exists as a collective. This is true whether one is speaking of an entire enterprise or a frontline team. Wherever people are organized together, a collective result already exists, just waiting to be named, collaborated around, and worked toward. However, very often, people in organizations mostly identify around their separate, individual roles. They don't have an understanding of how their own roles are essential to the overall collective result of the organization....Clarifying the collective result enables individuals and teams to improve their contributions within the organization without waiting for directives from those who have a broader view of the organization's interconnected parts (p. 117)."
"Do I have a clear understanding of my manger's objectives? What can I do to learn about them?.... Who are my customers, and what objectives do they have that I could help them with?.... Which of my peers are affected by my work? Do I know whether I am helping or hindering them in their ability to accomplish their objectives?.... Are my direct reports growing in their abilities? Have I worked with them to set a collective result for the entire team, and do they understand how they contribute to that result (p. 119)?"
"Without realizing it, too many leaders assume that the role of leadership is to control (p. 121)."
"Leaders will cry for greater accountability, but the way most organizations are set up breeds a constant lack of accountability. With an outward mindset, leaders position people to be fully responsible. This means that they empower their people with the responsibility both to execute and to plan their work (p. 121)."
"What would it be like if we brought the children into the planning process? .... They planned their work and they planned their fun. They even planned the consequences for failing to do what they had mutually decided. And part of the planning, as urged by the children, was that not everything needed to be planned. Through this process, the 'doers' became the 'planners,' and the 'planners' joined the 'doers.' This change fueled a significant improvement in the accomplishment of tasks at home and the relationships with the family (p. 122)."
"How can no one have any ideas? But then it dawned on him that the controlling, inwardly focused nature of the previous management had invited an inward focus in everyone in that facility. Rarely allowed the freedom to meet the needs that existed all around them, employees simply stopped seeing those needs. Seldom allowed to use their brains, they had stopped using them on behalf of the organization and its customers, the patients. It was as if the ability to see and respond to the needs and objectives of others was a muscle that, denied exercise, had atrophied and died (p. 124)."
"I resolved that I would never make assumptions about others' abilities before they are given appropriate opportunities (p. 126)."
"People should be involved in determining the results they need to deliver in the context of a collective result. Everyone has a brain, and everyone in an organization should be encouraged to engage and use that brain to think about and execute his or her role (p. 127)."
"When leaders begin to take seriously the project of not taking themselves too seriously and begin collapsing the distinctions between themselves and others, they are positioned to begin sealing mindset change (p. 139)."
"An important aspect of leading successful mindset change is a willingness to reconsider the objectives, systems, policies, and processes of an organization. Systems and processes that are designed to manage objects rather than empower people have widespread negative consequences. Efforts to rethink those systems and processes from an outward-mindset perspective can deliver huge benefits (p. 141)."
"Sometimes having an outward mindset is rather easy. We may be among people who care about each other, and it may seem utterly natural and easy o respond to them with an outward mindset. Our team at work, for example, may be filled with energetic and helpful individuals. Or we may be fortunate to be in a family filled with kind and generous people. In such cases it is relatively easy to maintain an outward mindset. Why? Because we feel so cared for and considered by those whose mindsets are outward toward us that we feel no need or desire to be defensive toward them. Almost effortlessly we find ourselves naturally showing consideration in return...A outward mindset in one person invites the same in others (p. 155)."
Very similar to The Anatomy of Peace, which is also by The Arbinger Institute. I like how TAOP is presented as a fictional narrative because, even though it’s a little clunky, it distinguishes it from most other self-help books. TOM is more typical in its layout (no overarching narrative, just occasional unrelated stories to illustrate the points being discussed), but just as powerful.
The main premise is that the key to successful organizations (whether a business, family, or community) is considering the needs of those around you. Nothing novel, but a great reminder and discussion. “When people see the needs, challenges, desires, and humanity of others, the most effective ways to adjust their efforts occur to them in the moment. When they see others as people, they respond in human and helpful ways.” While reviewing this book, I was surprised by how many of the principles are also relevant to the realm of parenting.
Highlights - If you want a behavior to change, in yourself or someone else, focus on the mindset change necessary to facilitate that behavior change. Mindset “refers to the way people see and regard the world—how they see others, circumstances, challenges, opportunities, and obligations. Their behaviors are always a function of how they see their situations and possibilities.” That could have been copied from the Bible Dictionary: “The Greek word of which [repentance] is the translation denotes a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world. Since we are born into conditions of mortality, repentance comes to mean a turning of the heart and will to God.” - “Chris’s mindset began changing when he started to shift his focus from his troubles to the troubles of his father.” I’m helplessly self-obsessive, but I’ve seen glimpses of the life-changing light and expansion that comes from really thinking about others. - Rob Newsom, a longtime Navy SEAL leader, said the distinguishing characteristic of those who don’t complete their SEAL training is that “they stopped thinking about the mission and their teammates and started thinking primarily about themselves.” Do you want to accomplish amazing teams (individually or as a team)? Forget yourself and focus on the greater objective. - A heightened commitment to fellow team members leads to “a heightened obligation to build [your own] skills and consistently perform at [your] best. Why? Because … [your] teammates need [you] to become the best [you] can be. [You] owe that to each other.” In that sense, the most self-serving thing you can do might be to relentlessly enforce your commitment to your team. - Thought-provoking parenting advice: “Objects do what you want them to do. … You can throw a washcloth in the sink, kick a soccer ball across a field, or push clothes into a laundry bag. But when you try to throw, kick, or push people, they often resist.” Do I treat my kids like people? Or is my main interaction with them to force them to do what I want them to do, how I want them to do it? “What if you asked this question of yourselves: If I were to give my heart to this boy, what would occur to me to do?” Also, “We invite you to do a mindset check be for you begin rolling out behavioral solutions. Ask yourself the following questions: Have I (or we) thought this through with an outward mindset? Do I understand the needs, objectives, and challenges of those involved?” - “As far as I am concerned, the problem is me.” Love the principle of extreme ownership. What lack I yet? - “A distinguishing characteristic of organizations that operate with an outward mindset is the extent to which people … are allowed and encouraged to engage their whole brains in the planning as well as the doing of their work.” There might be an interesting parental application of that.
Another triumph by the Arbinger Institute. It’s filled with examples of how having an outward mindset can enlarge and improve your life on every level.
One great quote (partially quoted in the book)—
How much larger your life would be if your self could become smaller in it; if you could really look at other men with common curiosity and pleasure; if you could see them walking as they are in their sunny sefishness and their virile indifference! You would begin to be interested in them, because they are not interested in you. You would break out of this tiny and tawdry theatre in which your own little plot is always played, and you would find yourself under a freer sky, in a street full of splendid strangers. G.K. Chesterton
I can see how this would be helpful for certain people (managers, CEOs etc. who are struggling to connect with the people in thier company). I personally don’t struggle with this, so oftentimes I felt like I was reading what I already know.
A pro: some of the real-life examples were interesting to read. A con: there were too many examples, and they were so similar to each other it was hard to keep them separate.
Overall, this book could have been half the length it is. It didn’t hold my interest past the first 1/3, and I felt like everything after that was repeating what the beginning already said.
Rating three stars because some of the examples were interesting, and that was the driving factor for me finishing the book.
I enjoyed all the examples/vignettes the authors provided in this book that demonstrate how an outward mindset can influence individuals, teams, organizations, and communities for good. It's all about asking what improvements we ourselves can make, regardless of the decisions or actions of others. Our focus determines our destiny.
I am fascinated about mindset and the difference you can make to your life by being aware of and making changes to your current mindset can make. Now I am delving deeper into different types of mindset. I defiantly have an outward mindset, I could recognise my behaviours throughout this book. What interested me was how to sustain it when the going gets tough and how to facilitate organisational change using awareness to outward mindset. I think this book would be particularly useful to change managers.
I listened to this one and my one complaint was that the narrator didn't read any of the charts or graphs. I was so enthralled with the ideas in the book that I'm going to buy myself a copy (and then I can read the graphs) so that I can mark it up and refer back to it again and again.
Love the idea in this book and how they can help in all aspects of life. The basis is that we need to see people as people and if we try to understand their needs, it can make a profound impact.