How leaders need to teach their people to focus forward

 Recently, during a workshop with senior leaders in Nepal, I met an Everest climber who shared a powerful insight: step by step, they advanced toward the summit—but every time they hesitated and looked back, fear and self-doubt crept in, rattling their confidence. Yet when they focused solely on the path ahead, those fears vanished. This lesson applies directly to our work lives—when we fixate on past failures, future uncertainties, or what others might think, we stall. Rather than endlessly studying the best path or seeking validation, we need to take action and focus on the journey forward.

At many organizations, people get stuck in one of four mindsets: dramatic “why me?” thinking, problem obsession, blame-shifting, or solution fantasizing. True leaders shift the conversation toward forward motion. They introduce what business thinkers call “feedforward”—future-oriented guidance that helps teams visualize success and focus on actionable next steps, rather than critiquing past mistakes. Asking questions like “What would ideal success look like?” or “What’s one small step we can take now?” engages the team’s creativity, builds resilience, and keeps the energy moving forward .

To build this forward-focused culture, regularly ask your team: “How do we want this to be? What would be different? What’s the next step?” These simple but powerful prompts shift thought away from problems and toward solutions. This encourages experimentation, psychological safety, and continual progress—with room to learn and celebrate along the way . As a leader, your role is to guide these conversations and model forward focus. By teaching people to concentrate on what comes next, not what went wrong, you empower them to take confident steps—and reach their summits.