Are you ready for reinvention? Our rapidly evolving world is demanding more from us as leaders than ever. Market challenges and opportunities used to come from competitors, economic conditions and the quality of our products and operations. This ‘fast moving’ world demanded responsiveness, eye for detail and efficiencies from us. But the Age of AI is introducing a societal shift and competitive threat at a faster pace than humanity has ever faced before. Great leaders are needed more than ever, but the style of leadership has changed to demanding a Reinvention Mindset to navigate all this uncertainty.
Most of us know what a Growth Mindset is, but about a Reinvention Mindset? Carol Dweck developed the Growth Mindset concept to describe people who believe their talents and abilities can be developed through hard work, learning and perseverance. She also coined the phrase Fixed Mindset for those of us who think our abilities are fixed and can’t change no matter how hard we try. Her 2006 book “Mindset: The Psychology of Success” influenced management theory for decades. But times have changed. 20 years ago we were flipping our phones, sending faxes and people still believed there were jobs for life, while Googling something was still a new phase.
As a transformational specialist who has worked with thousands of people I have observed that leaders with a Reinvention Mindset are better equipped to help themselves and their people adapt to this new AI world. A Reinvention Mindset builds on Dweck’s ideas by extending beyond the pursuit of mastery. Reinvention requires identity shifts, mindset rewiring, and stepping into unknown territory with courage. That’s where the Failure Mindset also comes in. It describes a willingness to see setbacks not as signals to stop, but as vital data for course correction. Skills critical to face uncertainty with confidence and enthusiasm.
And of course the mindsets we model as leaders shape the culture around us. If we want an adaptive, courageous, and future-ready workforce, it begins with us embracing reinvention ourselves. Because reinvention is based on our own unique views, beliefs and experiences there is an Art to how we approach reinvention which is as unique as our DNA. The one commonality however is the process of reinvention which includes 6 steps to developing a Reinvention Mindset.
- Change acceptance – as experienced leaders we have managed change before, observed the mixed responses from ourselves and our people as we face the fear of uncertainty and the unknown. People either fight, take flight or freeze in the face of change. Our job is to prepare ourselves and our people to accept change, because denial is not an option that has a future.
- Reality Check – Reinvention starts with a brutally honest look at what’s working and what’s not. That includes ourselves. Take a moment to review the good, bad, and ugly habits or traits that may have contributed to where you (and your business) are now or going to be. Are they still serving you? What do you need to leave behind to move forward?
- Empower Yourself (and Others) – In times of change, people often feel powerless. This is when leadership matters most. Your role is to reframe uncertainty as opportunity and equip your team with the tools, resources, and mindset to navigate it. This means more than sending them to a training course. It’s about consistent communication, creating safe spaces for experimentation, and modelling vulnerability when you don’t have all the answers. Because not even the AI experts have all the answers.
- Action – Do something, anything. Reinvention is not just about thinking differently, it demands you start taking action. Analysis paralysis and procrastination are the enemy of action. Learn from the experts. Create some hypotheses and then test them so you can see which one gets the best results. In digital marketing this is referred to as A/ B testing where you invest small amounts, until you identify a clear winner then you back it.
- Try, Try Again – This is where the Failure Mindset really matters. In a reinvention environment, failure isn’t the exception, it’s a part of the process. Try, miss, adjust. repeat. Your leadership sets the tone for whether your team sees failure as fatal or just feedback. Create a culture where experimentation is rewarded, and resilience is nurtured and do it quickly.
- Enjoy the Process – Reinvention is tough. But it doesn’t have to be joyless. As leaders, we need to help our teams stay present, not obsessed with what was or paralysed by what might be. Take time to reflect, celebrate progress, and laugh together. You’re not just managing tasks, you’re leading humans. And humans need hope as much as they need strategy.
A Reinvention Mindset isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about being willing to rethink, reimagine, and rebuild again and again based on the information you have. When leaders embrace this mindset, they don’t just adapt, begin to inspire.
And if you’re unsure where to start? Ask yourself: What do I need to let go of? What can I learn from what didn’t work? And what’s one step I can take today to move forward? Still stuck, you can always ask AI.
