This past year, I had the opportunity to work with a retail organization that was already performing at a solid level. Their leaders were capable. Their operations were strong. But they weren’t content with “good.” They were aiming for great—and they knew that getting there would require a deeper kind of development.
They also recognized something else: the future was going to bring new challenges, new complexities, and new demands on their leaders. They didn’t just want their leaders to react to those challenges—they wanted to equip them to lead through them confidently and effectively.
The Challenge: Where Do We Start?
The organization believed that focusing on mindsets would be key to unlocking this kind of growth. But like many companies, they didn’t have a clear picture of their current mindset landscape—or how to begin shifting it.
That’s when they brought me in.
The Approach: Assess → Activate → Reassess
We started in the fall with a keynote session that introduced their 93 executive, district, and store leaders to the power of mindsets—and more importantly, how mindsets directly influence leadership effectiveness, adaptability, and culture.
As part of that session, all 93 leaders took my Mindset Assessment, which gave them a snapshot of their current mindset profiles and allowed us to compile a collective report. That report became a mirror: revealing where the organization was strong, and where there was room for growth.
But insight is only the first step. Action is what transforms.
Over the winter, their L&D team provided monthly mindset exercises. These were lightweight yet meaningful conversations and practices designed to spark awareness, foster curiosity, and nudge mindset shifts over time. Leaders were encouraged to bring these exercises into team discussions, building a ripple effect of growth across the organization.
Then in the spring, we had them retake the assessment.
The Results: Measurable, Meaningful Change
The shifts were remarkable.
Across all four sets of mindsets assessed, we saw significant improvements. One striking example: the percentage of leaders who demonstrated a growth mindset increased from 52% to 73%.
That’s a 21-point shift—in just six months.
Here are their full results:
As you can see, we saw meaningful and positive shifts across the four sets of mindsets.
Beyond the numbers, the organization is already sensing a meaningful difference. Their leaders are showing up with more openness, more curiosity, and more confidence in the face of complexity. They’re better prepared to lead through whatever lies ahead.
The Takeaway: You Can Do This Too
Here’s what this experience confirmed for me: transformational growth doesn’t always require massive investment, extensive training, or major disruption.
Sometimes, it just takes a clear focus on what matters most.
Mindset work is doable—and when it’s done right, it elevates your leaders, your culture, and your entire organization.
If you’re ready to take your team from good to great—and to prepare them for the challenges of tomorrow—I’d love to talk. Grab a time with me here.
Let’s explore how we can elevate your leaders’ mindsets, together.
