Many managers struggle to understand why bullying occurs, why women face harassment, or why practical jokes drive new employees to leave. Such behaviour harms individuals, damages the organisation, undermines collaboration, and impacts service quality. Initial responses often assume these are isolated incidents that will pass. When they persist, the typical response is to introduce policies: a new code of conduct, stricter sanctions, or renewed emphasis on the confidential counsellor and reporting procedures. In other words: more policy. But what if that doesn’t work?
What is a mindset, really?
In my PhD dissertation I have written extensively about mindsets. Here’s an example. Everyone knows laws exist and that we’re meant to follow them. But people relate to laws in different ways. Some obey them strictly, believing it’s the right thing to do. Others see laws as flexible, only problematic if you’re caught. Some treat breaking the law like breaking a traffic rule: other concerns take priority, and if there’s a fine, you just pay and move on.
We all carry mental models that help us make sense of reality. These act as templates into which we fit our experiences, helping us interpret events, whether a conflict, an illness, or signs that a business is thriving.
These representations, along with other components of our inner world (more on that shortly), make up our mindset. A mindset is the lens through which we perceive reality: our work, colleagues, clients, and everything happening around them. We carry thousands of these mental templates. They act like a prediction engine, helping us judge what causes certain outcomes and what might work in tackling problems.
The components of our inner world
To understand how people think, we need to understand how their thinking is structured — how the elements of a mindset relate, and how mindset links to behaviour. Only then can we uncover root causes and start making real changes. We distinguish four key components:
1. Images — These are internal concepts of things that exist in the real world: an organisation, a law, a meeting, teamwork. They are neutral tools we use to recognise and interpret what we encounter.
2. Values — These are what people see as good and important, such as respect, safety, or loyalty. Unlike neutral representations, values carry a moral weight. They give ethical meaning to our mental templates.
3. Beliefs — These arise when representations are linked to values. For example: “A well-chaired meeting leads to better decision-making.” People often string together beliefs into reasoning chains, like: “If managers know about misconduct and do nothing, they’re effectively condoning it, setting the wrong example and encouraging more of the same.”
4. Motives — These are the mental forces that bridge thinking and action. They connect beliefs to behaviour. For example: “I stay quiet about misconduct to protect my job.” Motives are what prompt us to act, making them distinct from beliefs.
The logic behind undesirable behaviour
Imagine a department where jokes about women’s appearances or a colleague’s ethnicity are common. To those making the jokes, it’s harmless fun. Others laugh along, reinforcing the behaviour. Over time, the belief takes hold that these jokes contribute to a relaxed and positive team atmosphere. Because the job is stressful, this levity becomes valued. The deeper belief becomes: “You need a thick skin here”. This belief is grounded in values like personal resilience, for instance, “You must be able to cope with adversity”.
In this context, comments that might be considered discriminatory or offensive elsewhere aren’t seen as such. They’re seen as banter. People are joking, laughing — the mood is light. Calling for more respectful behaviour in such a culture challenges deeply rooted beliefs. Without insight into the underlying logic, change won’t follow.
Individual and collective mindset
Our view of the world is rarely shaped in isolation. Much of our thinking comes from others. Each person’s mental world is a patchwork of ideas and beliefs absorbed from those around them.
The same applies in organisations. People adopt shared ways of thinking. Over time, shared mental representations develop, about working hours, leadership styles, or what’s considered normal. In teams or departments, this creates a collective mindset. You hear it in phrases like: “That’s just how we do things here”. Like individual mindsets, collective ones link representations to values, forming shared beliefs that, combined with motives, drive group behaviour.
For example, in a department where the prevailing belief is “We go the extra mile for the customer,” a culture can emerge where people continually overextend themselves. If customers behave abusively, it may be brushed off as “part of the job”. Such shared reasoning reflects the group’s ‘local truth’, their collective framing of reality. It often includes a positive self-image, with key beliefs tied to the team’s core identity. A finance team will likely have different assumptions than a team making television programmes.
Who shapes your team’s thinking?
Not everyone has equal influence over group thinking. Managers may hold formal authority, but informal leaders can be more powerful. Senior colleagues often act as gatekeepers of group norms. People whose mindsets match the group’s tend to enjoy greater freedom and privilege.
This also affects recruitment: candidates with similar thinking are more likely to be hired. Those who challenge the status quo may find themselves sidelined. In extreme cases, they may leave, through illness, a transfer, or resignation.
Reframing
Group thinking is often shaped by the past. People act based on images that may no longer apply. These outdated mental templates can be hard to shift, especially if reinforced by authority figures. To change this, new images are needed. Ones that cast current behaviour in a different light. This process is called reframing. Without it, behaviour remains stuck in outdated logic. Reframing is a vital tool for leaders aiming to replace dysfunctional group habits with more constructive thought and action.
Cultural change doesn’t begin with procedures. It begins with how people think. By paying attention to representations, values, beliefs and motives, it becomes possible to challenge the patterns that keep inappropriate behaviour in place.
Questions to reflect on:
- What does the collective mindset look like in your team?
- How widespread and deeply embedded is it?
- Who plays a key role in maintaining it?
By answering these questions, you can begin to uncover what’s needed to support new thinking. Because changing how people think is the surest route to changing organisational culture.
Curious about how to reshape mindsets in your organisation? In the next edition, we’ll explore practical interventions for transforming the way people think.