Digital technology has disrupted every industry you can think of and changed the way we used to eat, communicate, travel, date and even shop. Did technology transform the way we lead people? If the answer is no, you might be sticking to a traditional mindset which won’t help you shatter the glass ceiling and become a great leader.

If you want to become a great leader, you will have to start from challenging your mindset. In this article, you will learn about ways to change your mindset and become a great leader.

How to Ditch the Traditional Mindset and Become a Great Leader?

1. Embrace Change

“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”–Charles Darwin

If you closely analyze successful companies, you will find that they are mostly founded on the idea of disruption. Even employees love to work for companies where the focus of business leaders is out-of-the-box. You might come across people who will resist change but this is only because they are stick in the muds and are happy with how things are going. As a successful business leader, you need to convince them how embracing change can lead to growth, both at an individual level and at a collective level.

2. Set the new bar

Are you making good on your goals almost mechanically? If yes, then it is time to step out of your comfort zone and assign yourself audacious goals. If you are entering an industry with a first-mover advantage, you must set yourself a steep target. Even if you miss that target, you will end up in good company. When you move forward with this approach, your employees realize that they have to give it their best shot every time. Slowly but surely, it will become an integral part of your company culture and your company will start to prosper.

3. Mix and Match

In today’s overcrowded business world, you will have to stand out from the crowd to steal the limelight. For that, you will have to innovate.  You don’t necessarily have to create something out of this world. You can innovate by merging diverse cultures, industries and people as well.

Cortney Read, Director of Communications at Offerpad said, “We need to be consistently focused on our people and merging together diverse backgrounds, cultures, and trades. This company was founded on evolving the old ways, while embracing the differences from various industries. We’re always looking for better ways to go above the status quo.”

4. Believe

“Believe in yourself, and the rest will fall into place. Have faith in your own abilities, work hard, and there is nothing you cannot accomplish.”—Brad Henry

If your mission is to disrupt an industry, you should have a firm belief in your capabilities and move forward with a can-do attitude. You should be absolutely sure about the effectiveness of a product, process or approach. Once you have faith in your capabilities and decisions, you can convince others to follow. This is one of the golden rules of leadership. You must believe that the people who are following you can help you achieve something special.

5. Cheer and Celebrate Together

You might come across companies whose employees are bubbling with energy but when you ask them what they like about their leaders, they will gush about how their boss recognizes their contributions, appreciates their work and considers each employee a part of the family. Successful business leaders cheer for their employees because they love them and consider them an asset instead of a liability. This makes employees feel more valued and strengthens their bond with the organization.

6. Go On A Creative Exploration

“Successful creative adults seem to combine the wide-ranging exploration and openness we see in children with the focus and discipline prevalent in adults.”—Alison Gopnik

If you want to make waves and create a splash in the business world, it won’t happen by sticking to tried and tested methods. You will have to find innovative ways of helping people and solving their problems. Look for out-of-the-box ideas by embarking on a creative exploration mission. Companies that lay a lot of emphasis on creative explorations, tend to come up with unique ideas and turn them into successful products that propel their business to unprecedented heights.

Don’t restrict your employees. Instead, give them a free hand to try something new every day. Once your employees are not afraid of experimenting and trying different things, it becomes a part of company culture and leads to innovation and creativity. Creativity and innovation are two of the most important characteristics of great leaders and businesses.

How do you get rid of the traditional mindset and become a great leader? Feel free to share it with us in the comments section below.