An Explorer’s Mindset

What is an Explorer’s Mindset?

Explorers have long played a central role in the history of humankind because explorers create new value - in resources, territories, exchange, knowledge, technology, leadership and learning.

Since our ancestors made their way from Africa 50,000 years ago, Homo Sapiens’ urge to scale mountains, cross oceans, endure extreme conditions and now to leave our planet for another is a distinctive characteristic of our species.

Around the world in every modern and ancient culture, in legends, oral traditions, art, humanities and science, explorers are celebrated and admired. From the past to the present, they are distinctive, recognisable by their key behaviours:

• Bold curiosity - the urge to know more, and act upon it

• Pushing boundaries - seeking novelty and personal growth

• Making connections in the process of exploration and value creation - bringing resources, teams, sponsors and audiences together

• Highly adaptive to changing operating conditions - flexible and responsive

• Storytelling, not of ripping yarns of individual adventure, but stories which change others’ understanding of the world.   

Explorers have shaped our world in the most extraordinary ways. Based on principles underpinning an Explorer’s Mindset, you too can develop the skills to lead your organisation to new opportunities in a fast changing world.

Why?

Drawing on contemporary research of exploration and leadership (as well as the lessons from historical and contemporary expeditions), an Explorer’s Mindset is a strategic asset in fast changing business environments in which leaders must

• Identity opportunities for innovation, advantage and technology deployment

• Build highly engaged, aligned and resilient teams

• Navigate, with others, new paths to success

• Make critical decisions without complete information

• Remain highly sensitive to economic and technological “weather” and anticipate changing operating conditions

• Adapt goals and priorities in a fast-changing environments

• Authentically inspire and influence others

My Story

Leading a highly ranked MBA and many Executive Education programmes at a global leading business school, as well as 10 years of running my own consulting firm, taught me a lot about identifying talented leaders who conceive and deliver new value and game changing results.

What began as a professional interest in how an Explorer’s Mindset can add value for global employers has now become a personal obsession, from analysing the lessons of incredible dramas of famous expeditions, gathering insights from leading explorers in many fields, to how NASA is using the history of exploration to select the best crews for Mars, applying an Explorer’s Mindset is a new frontier of leadership development for organisations.

Where are you now?

An Explorer’s Mindset is activated by conceiving a challenge as an expedition. For example, a project imagined as a summit attempt appeals to common sense: a mountain peak is visible to all, it’s easy to measure progress and everyone will know when the goal is reached. But what if the goal is shifting? What if you can’t tell how long it will take to get where you want to go? What if you cannot easily define the end point? In this example your project is more akin to crossing a desert than climbing a mountain. So in each case, would your preparation, style of leadership and team management differ? How? 

An Explorer'‘s Mindset is based on extensive research to develop leaders who can optimise outcomes in changing conditions, increase personal effectiveness, speed and resilience. An Explorer’s Mindset reduces risk and opportunity costs while building a narrative to motivate others and build your distinctive leadership brand.

NEXT STEPS

If you’d like to learn more about how an Explorer’s Mindset can help you or your team discover new value, lead change, innovate or strengthen corporate resilience, you have a variety of options, among others, to consider:

• An engaging talk or presentation on themes of bold curiosity, leadership, team dynamics, role of technology, the pyramid of experience, the explorer’s network and storytelling, drawn from diverse examples in exploration history and research offering insight on an Explorer’s Mindset, and why it really matters to businesses today

• A bespoke workshop to develop and apply the skills of an Explorer’s Mindset to your business challenge

• Development of an explorer’s story to support corporate communications about a challenge

• A Leadership Expedition - a challenging, immersive experience to reflect upon and strengthen personal effectiveness.

Let's start a conversation

I’d love to hear from you to answer questions about an Explorer’s Mindset but also to hear your thoughts about how an Explorer’s Mindset can create value in your field of interest.

Looking forward to hearing from you.