Why mindset is every great leader’s superpower

There’s a study I love from the University of Chicago in the mid-90s. The study was conducted by asking a group of randomly-selected students to take a series of free throws & the percentage of free throws were tallied. 

The students were divided into three groups & asked to perform three separate tasks over a 30-day period. One group practiced for 30 minutes a day. Another group visualized practicing, but never touched a basketball for the 30 days. The third group? Didn’t do anything. 

Here’s what happened: 

• The group that physically practiced? Improved by 24%. 

• The group that only visualized it? Improved by 23%. 

• The group that did nothing? No surprise—0% improvement. 

Translation: Your brain is WILDLY powerful. You don’t even have to touch the ball to get better—you just have to think about it. 

That’s the magic of mindset. And at The Perk, we teach leaders how to harness it using something called The Thought Model:  

🧠 Thoughts → 😌 Feelings → 💪 Actions → 🎯 Results 

So if you don’t like what’s happening in your leadership—or with your team—it’s almost always worth going back to your thoughts & examining them a bit.  

It’s a big reason why mindset is the engine of everything we teach with our CLEAR Leadership System. 

Before you even start using the CLEAR skills (Curiosity, Listening, Expectations, Yes, And & Recognition), you have to build the right mindset. Because tools & strategies won’t get you far if your thoughts are stuck in fear, self-doubt, or overwhelm.  

So what kind of mindsets create truly transformational leadership? 

We’ve narrowed it down to three. And here’s the kicker: each one is a shift from an old story you may not even realize you’re living in. 

The 3 Leadership Mindsets (and the shifts that matter) 

🧭 Hero vs. Guide 
With a Hero Mindset, you believe it’s your job to have all the answers & solve everyone’s problems for them. When you adopt a Guide Mindset, you empower your team to rise as the true heroes. You support, develop & coach them to uncover their own solutions, take decisive action & achieve remarkable results. Every hero needs a guide - Katniss had Haymitch, Moana had Maui, & Luke Skywalker had Yoda. As a leader, you are NOT the hero. You are the Guide - your team is the Hero.  

• The old story says: “It’s my job to be the problem solver - put out this fire & tell people what to do.” 

• The new mindset says: “My job isn’t to have all the answers. It’s to ask powerful questions, coach, unlock potential, & develop a team of problem solvers.  

🌱 Fixed vs. Growth 
When you operate with a Fixed Mindset, you avoid challenges because they are possible failures. When you operate with a Growth Mindset, you see challenges as opportunities & encourage healthy risk taking. You believe you & others have the capacity to learn, grow & develop over time. You see failure as a part of the learning process & cultivate a culture of continuous improvement & innovation.  

• The old story says: “This is just the way I am.” 

• The new mindset says: “I can learn, grow, & improve & so can my team. Challenges are chances to stretch!” 
  

❓How vs. Who 
Instead of asking “How?” you start asking “Who?” A Who Mindset leverages relationships & collaboration to achieve success. It emphasizes the importance of focusing on finding the right people to help you achieve your goals rather than getting caught up in trying to do everything yourself.  

• The old story says: “How am I going to do all of this?” 

• The new mindset says: “Who can help? Who’s the best person for this?” 

When you shift your mindset, you change your outcomes. And when you add up those outcomes over time, step by step, it makes SUCH a difference in your leadership. Trust me.