In a world defined by rapid disruption and constant change, many businesses find themselves stuck. They operate from a place of scarcity thinking, where resources and opportunities are perceived as limited, and internal competition is the norm. This mindset, often seen in large, established incumbents, can stifle innovation and prevent companies from achieving their full growth potential. But what if there was another way?
Drawing inspiration from the concept of abundance articulated in Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s recent book Abundance: How We Build a Better Future, a different approach emerges: one of possibility thinking. This perspective challenges the ingrained assumptions that hold businesses back, encouraging leaders to look beyond internal structures and perceived limitations. Instead of viewing the world as a zero-sum game, an abundance mindset sees a world of limitless opportunities, waiting to be unlocked. This is the insurgent mindset at its core—the belief that constraints can be overcome, and that bold, creative thinking is the key to breaking away from the pack.
The Scarcity Mindset: Inside-Out Thinking and Its Constraints
How can you tell if your organization is operating with a scarcity mindset? The signs are often clear. A company with this perspective tends to be focused inward, prioritizing internal processes and structures over external market realities. The organization becomes a monolith, isolated from potential partners and even customers.
This internal focus leads to several common characteristics that act as major growth constraints:
- Sub-optimized Structures: Highly functionalized operating models that work well in times of stability but fail to adapt to change. Different departments or “silos” operate with competing agendas, making collaboration and problem-solving difficult.
- Excessive Bureaucracy: Overly complex processes and regulations slow decision-making to a crawl. People become focused on optimizing their individual silo rather than the overall success of the enterprise.
- Risk Aversion: An ingrained fear of failure leads to a culture of “no.” Projects are shut down before they even have a chance, and a few powerful individuals can prevent new ideas from gaining traction.
This zero-sum thinking creates self-imposed limitations that can feel insurmountable. But by reframing the problem and challenging these assumptions, a business can begin to shift its perspective from scarcity to abundance.
Overcoming Constraints: From “No” to “Yes”
To move toward an abundance mindset, leaders must learn to identify and address the real constraints holding their businesses back. These are often not external factors but rather internal limitations, including constraints of the mind—the mental models and assumptions that prevent new solutions from being considered.
A great example of this shift in thinking can be seen in the development of the COVID-19 vaccines. Historically, vaccine development took a decade or more. However, when faced with a global pandemic, the mindset shifted. The constraints of time and traditional processes were challenged, leading to the development and distribution of a vaccine in less than a year. This demonstrates that when the pressure is on, and leaders are forced to embrace a possibility mindset, seemingly impossible goals can be achieved.
To apply this thinking in a business context, leaders can ask themselves a few key questions:
- What if the constraint is not real? Challenge the assumptions that underpin your business’s “rules.” Is the reason you can’t do something a legitimate external barrier, or is it a self-imposed limitation?
- Are we looking at the right problem? Sometimes, the solution is not to push harder against an existing problem, but to redefine what the real problem is. Reframing the problem can unlock new and unexpected solutions.
- What would we do if resources were not an issue? An abundance mindset allows for a different kind of experimentation and play. Instead of focusing on what you lack, focus on what you could build. This builder mindset is a hallmark of insurgent leaders.
For a trade business struggling with a labor shortage, for example, the scarcity mindset might lead to the conclusion that growth is impossible because there aren’t enough workers. An abundance mindset, however, would reframe the problem. Instead of asking, “How do we find more people?” the question becomes, “How can we create a new pathway to talent?” This could lead to innovative solutions like offshoring training, creating new visa pathways, or exploring automation. The key is to be open to different possibilities and to view constraints as obstacles to be overcome, not as insurmountable constraints.
Creating a Culture of Abundance
This shift isn’t just about one or two leaders thinking differently: it’s about embedding an abundance mindset into the very culture of the organization. This starts with creating an environment where employees feel empowered to ask the tough questions and challenge the status quo.
An insurgent leader fosters this culture by asking questions like:
- “How would we approach this problem with an abundance mindset?”
- “What’s in our way, and how can we move it?”
- “What systems in our organization are killing good ideas before they get started?”
When these questions become part of the regular conversation—in a board meeting or a team discussion—you know you are building a culture where possibility thinking thrives. This approach helps to break down the internal barriers that cause a growth constraint and allows for the pursuit of new opportunities.
The insurgent mindset is a powerful antidote to scarcity thinking. By questioning assumptions, reframing problems, and fostering a culture of possibility, businesses can unlock their potential for growth and secure their future in a rapidly changing world.
For more information please contact Matthew Tice (mtice@insurgencegroup.com) or Rondo Moses (rmoses@insurgencegroup.com).
Listen to “The Insurgent Mindset” on Apple, Spotify and Youtube.