Developing a Quantum Mindset

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Developing a Quantum Mindset

by Doug DeCarlo

November 24, 2005


Our brains come with a software package that enables us to think and act in a certain way. Just like a computer program, we have built in default settings. I refer to these as our mindset.

Our mindset is a collection of beliefs and assumptions as to how the world works. These beliefs and assumptions drive how we go through our daily lives. For instance, if through social conditioning and personal experience, I develop a belief that people really don’t like or want to work, I might very well become a Theory X manager, a term coined by Douglas McGregor( 1). As a result of this belief, my management style might be one of closely supervising people and introducing policies and procedures to keep them in line and on track. The Theory Y manager is just the opposite. She believes that people, by nature, are self-motivated to want to do a good job and can be trusted to do so, according to McGregor. As a result of his mindset, the Theory X manager adopts a predominant management style of being a task master, where his Theory Y counterpart becomes a relationship manager.

As we’ll see, not all mindsets are appropriate to all projects.



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