Think Like a Newbie?

The Secret to Productive, Resilient Teams in Uncertain Times

Imagine walking into your office every day with the same wide-eyed enthusiasm you had on your first day—before you realized the coffee machine had a personal vendetta against you and that “quick meetings” are never actually quick. Instead of feeling trapped in the endless loop of emails and spreadsheets, you start seeing every challenge as an exciting new puzzle.

This is the magic of adopting a beginner’s mindset, where you ditch the jaded sighs and approach work with curiosity, openness, and maybe even a little joy.

Ali Abdaal, in Feel Good Productivity, describes Shoshin —the Zen principle of the “beginner’s mind,” as the mindset of openness, curiosity, and humility that allows us to see the world with fresh eyes. It challenges the idea that expertise comes from rigidity; instead, it suggests that growth flourishes when we approach familiar problems with a willingness to explore new solutions.

At Botree, we’ve embraced this principle as a core philosophy in our Level-Up™ approach to learning and development. Here’s why this mindset is more critical than ever—especially today, where economic uncertainty, political shifts, and technological disruptions demand adaptability from every organization.

The Problem: Expertise Can Be a Double-Edged Sword

Think about a skill you’ve mastered. Maybe you’ve been leading teams for years, selling complex products, or managing customer service operations. Over time, you develop a “best way” of doing things—a default approach that feels efficient. But this expertise can come at a cost.

You may stop questioning assumptions. What worked in 2015 might not work in 2025, yet habits are hard to break.
You might fear looking like a beginner again. There’s a hesitation to try new methods or ask questions.
You could resist change. The more experienced you are, the harder it is to let go of “proven” strategies.

Sounding all too familiar, if you’re getting real with yourself?

Paradoxically, true expertise requires embracing the beginner’s mindset.

The best leaders, salespeople, and managers aren’t the ones who know everything; they’re the ones who keep learning.

The Level-Up™ Approach: Learning That Actually Sticks

Botree’s Level-Up™ programs break down rigid learning models and encourage continuous curiosity. Our training is learner-driven, meaning we recognize that employees don’t just need information—they need experiences that challenge and reshape their thinking. We believe that tenured professionals can bring deep experiential learning through examples to new team members, and similarly, new team members can challenge the status quo to innovate.

Here’s how Level-Up™ builds these opportunities into every program

1. Learning is Social and Adaptive 💡

🛠️ 70% of learning happens on the job. We design programs that embed training into real-world practice. Our work landscape changes daily offering new contexts to flex tried and true practices and test new approaches.
👥 20% comes from peers. Our training includes live peer discussions, where employees learn from each other’s experiences. Seeing value in years-of-service experience and new-to-the-role curiosity!
💻 Only 10% comes from instruction. We keep formal learning concise, focusing on practical application.

💡 Example: Instead of a traditional sales training that dictates a script, our Sales Level-Up™ program immerses teams in real customer scenarios. They experiment, fail safely, and refine their approach in an interactive environment.

2. Mistakes Are Built into the Process 👍🏼

3. Real-World Problems Replace Hypotheticals 🌍

Why This Matters More Than Ever in 2025

The world is shifting rapidly. AI is reshaping industries, hybrid work is the norm, and economic volatility means organizations must be more agile than ever. The teams that will thrive are not the ones with the most knowledge—but the ones that can keep learning and adapting.

The old approach to training—where employees receive information passively and are expected to “apply it someday”—no longer works. Level-Up™ flips the script by turning every employee into an active learner who sees change as an opportunity, not a threat.

Incorporating a beginner’s mindset into your workplace isn’t just about staying relevant—it’s about building resilience.

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In uncertain times, the best investment a company can make isn’t just in knowledge—it’s in the ability to keep learning.

Final Thought: How to Start Cultivating a Beginner’s Mind

You don’t need to overhaul your entire training approach overnight. Here are three small ways to integrate Shoshin into your team’s learning culture:

Ask “What if?” More Often – Encourage curiosity in meetings by questioning assumptions and exploring unconventional solutions.
Normalize Learning Out Loud – Make it safe to admit when you don’t know something. Model the behavior by sharing your own learning experiences.
Prioritize Experimentation Over Perfection – Give employees space to try, fail, and refine their approach rather than expecting them to get it right the first time.