With an Inward/"ME" Mindset, we become blind to what others need, and therefore can frustrate others or create conflict. We might blame others for our frustrations or failures. Focused only on our own objectives, we might even hamper our organization’s effectiveness or results while thinking we’re doing a good job!

With an Outward/"WE" Mindset, however, we see others as people who matter as much as we do. We take into account their needs, challenges, and objectives. And we focus on collective results. We feel responsible to do our jobs and do them well, but also to do them in a way that supports others in doing their jobs because we know their jobs contribute to the organization’s results just like ours do.

When we have an Outward/"WE" Mindset —when others matter to us—we naturally want to be helpful to them. So, we adjust our own efforts to make their work easier however we can. Rather than blaming others for our frustrations or feeling like victims of our circumstances, we begin to see new possibilities and solutions to our most vexing or long-standing problems.