Growth Mindset Leader

What is a Fixed & Growth Mindset?

The term comes from Professor Carol S Dweck who wrote the book on Mindset.  If you adopt a Growth Mindset you believe that your abilities and intelligence can be developed by dedication and hard work. An individual who defaults to a Fixed Mindset believes their abilities are static and that they have unchangeable traits.

Mindsets evolve early and they can fall on specific areas, for example whether you can sing or draw.  Our parents can create Fixed Mindsets by saying "You can't draw or sing".  This is not done with malice, however the continual message will mean this will be an area you won't explore and you might well say "I can't draw or sing".

As a Leader it is possible to turn a Fixed Mindset into a Growth Mindset, and  it can be incredibly rewarding.

Practical steps to take:-

• Be a Role model - demonstrate to your Team that you have a thirst for learning and growth,
• Encourage the Team to own their own learning and be imaginative about stretching themselves
• Create an environment where everyone is comfortable with continuous feedback ·       
• Praise effort and process not just the result 
• Recruit potential not talent 
• Encourage Team Members to study to learn not to ace the test
• Failure does not define an individual or you as a Team, move forward from it 
• Be a Team all about curiosity continually stretch yourselves and think of solutions that are not there yet
• Create a place where risk taking is safe
• Set stretch goals not just corporate objectives, believe in each other
• Collaborative projects
• Peer mentoring
• Problem solving as a Team or in groups
• Shared purpose
• Continually assessing and re-evaluating how you are working together

As a Leader make this a priority and have a strategic plan as to how you can implement some of the above or all of the above.  Please do reach out for a workshop on Growth Mindset as a Leader.