What Have You Changed Your Mind On Recently?
On the latest edition of my #thursdaythoughts video series on LinkedIn, I had the pleasure of hosting my first guest and discussing the value of changing your mind. Those of you who tune in regularly won’t be surprised that my first guest was Dave Stachowiak, whom I hold in high esteem. I often reference Dave’s leadership development work and his podcast Coaching for Leaders.
I was so honored to receive a message from Dave after he listened to a #thursdaythoughts segment earlier in the month. In it, I shared about changing my mind and the value of challenging ourselves with a question Dave asks at the end of each of his podcast episodes: “What have you changed your mind on recently?”
The responses from authors and experts are fascinating!
In his guest appearance with me, Dave shared the backstory behind this question. A decade or so ago, Dave originally asked: What have you failed at recently? While failing forward and failing faster were popular topics at the time, the question didn’t encourage the kind of open dialogue he was hoping for.
Early on, based on a discussion with his best advisor (his wife), he changed his final guest question to the one I love so much: What have you changed your mind on recently?
This question leads to much more illuminating answers and discussions.
The world is changing quickly. We must adapt.
– Jill Helmer
Changing My Mind on Long-Held Beliefs: Two Examples
We often bristle at “That’s the way we’ve always done it” as a good reason to keep doing “it” the same way. In many organizations, employees are even encouraged to push back on this reasoning.
However, we don’t typically question what we think or the beliefs we hold in our minds to the same degree.
Professionally, I have changed my mind on how I conduct my coaching sessions and who I coach. Both shifts have grown my business and my impact.
Changing My Mind: Example 1
For example, throughout most of my career as a leadership development expert, I have coached executives and senior leaders at a certain level. This year, I’ve had the opportunity to coach three up-and-coming professionals who are, candidly, younger and more junior than I typically work with.
Through this experience, I realized that I have a long-held bias about the “right” inflection point and years of experience someone needed to have to be a good candidate for the kind of coaching I provide. My work with these 3 amazing young professionals has caused me to “change my mind” and expand my beliefs on who benefits the most from working with an executive coach!
Changing My Mind: Example 2
Here’s another example, which I know many of you can relate to. Before the pandemic, I had always worked with my executive coaching and team leadership development clients in person. I believed that was the only way. The pandemic forced me to operate and think differently.
A couple of years later, I could have returned to my old beliefs and mode of operating, but I changed my mind. I no longer believe that the only way I can successfully work with clients is in person, and I now work almost exclusively via Zoom or Teams.
Instead of being limited to working with individuals and teams in or near my zip code, I now work with clients around the country (even around the world). My mindset shift has significantly grown my business.
A Willingness to Challenge Yourself
To change our minds, to think about something differently than we have before, requires willingness, an open mind, and the development of new habits.
“I’ve always thought this way” should be pushed back on as much as “I’ve always done it this way.”
In the world we are leading in and living in, changing our minds is a key ingredient to our longevity, professionally and personally.
No matter how naturally comfortable or resistant we are to change, we can all look back and see where changing our minds has been necessary and beneficial in the past.
Use your own examples to remind yourself to try new things and be open to changing your mind.
What will you change your mind on in 2026? I’d love to hear about it!
