What is a Social Mindset and How Can It Help Your Business? Posted on September 22, 2021February 7, 2023 by Smartboost Here at smartboost, we go beyond just providing marketing services. We value our employees and their ideas and believe that when the whole team is inspired and feels valued, magic happens. To accomplish this, we employ what’s called a social mindset. A social mindset focuses more on people than processes and gives everyone an active role in building the company’s vision. Let’s learn more about what a social mindset is, how you can encourage one in your workplace, and the many benefits that come from this business structure. What is a Social Mindset? In today’s interconnected world, it’s no wonder that we turn to others for their thoughts and opinions and as a result, view ourselves through other people’s eyes. In psychology, social mindset means putting an emphasis on emotional aptitude and individual skills and knowledge versus focusing just on processes or results. With a social mindset, employees feel heard and understood because the company is structured around their opinions. It’s a mindset that’s inclusive of everyone, no matter their background or hierarchy in the company. For example, at smartboost we love generating new ideas with our teammates, whether they are interns or our executives. No matter how “experienced” you might be, a social mindset makes you feel engaged and important. 4 Benefits of Implementing a Social Mindset By cultivating a company culture that focuses on a social mindset, you will enjoy higher employee retention, more creative ideas, and more impactful decisions. Here are some of the benefits of having a social mindset in business: Faster Decision-Making Velocity We’ve talked before about how to improve your decision-making velocity, or how fast and accurate you can make important decisions. Improving your company’s social mindset can help employees make decisions because they will feel more secure in their choices. Rather than rely on the traditional decision-making process (an employee needs to make a decision that they then bring to their manager or executive for permission), a social mindset empowers all employees to own their decisions. The team trusts that their coworkers have the company’s best interest in mind. A Clear Company Culture If you’re working on implementing a social mindset for your business, a good exercise to start with is to have the team develop the company culture. At smartboost, we review our mission and company culture and values every quarter and ask the team if they think there should be any changes. Enhanced Creativity Our business is all about creative thinking, and what better way to encourage new forms of creativity than to pursue a social mindset and listen to everyone’s opinions? Too often in business, you have to have a certain title or years under your belt to make a difference. With a social mindset, the focus is on creativity and ideas, not just tenure. High-Performing Team Members It’s simple: when employees feel valued and understood, they’re more passionate about the work they’re doing. Having a social mindset for your business is one of the best ways to encourage employee retention and even employee referrals. A healthy workplace encourages everyone to speak up and be heard. How to Have a Social Mindset at Your Company Now that you understand what a social mindset in business is and some of the main benefits, let’s look at what you can do to have a social mindset at your own company. We’ve been working on this structure at smartboost for years (and are still working on it every day!). Here are some ways to start creating a company culture that values a social mindset: Show how each employee or department contributes Provide employees autonomy to execute their own ideas Offer opportunities for frequent feedback and support (both from the top-down and from the bottom up) Simplify communication channels Facilitate engaging conversations both in and out of the office Clarify the company’s purpose (and no, not just growing the business) Show employees how they contribute and reward those contributions Invest in the relationships at your company Encourage on-demand learning Build trust between executives and employees Respect all team members, regardless of experience Listen more than you talk When it comes to having a social mindset, this quote summarizes it nicely: “We learn best when we learn together.” Have you implemented a social mindset at your workplace?