• Heard of Growth Mindset in education or at work?
• Do you have a FIXED or GROWTH mindset on your biggest challenge?
• Know these two small words – YET & GET – can transform the way you perceive a problem?
Here, red10 ‘s Lisa Smith gives a red10 intro to Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset principles, and how crucial they are in shaping your success, adaptability and outcomes.
Growth Vs Fixed Mindset
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the mindset of managers and employees plays a crucial role in shaping the success and adaptability of a global corporation.
There are two contrasting mindsets:
Our choice of mindset will significantly impact how we approach challenges, innovate, and lead.
Growth mindset, an idea developed by psychologist Dr Carol Dweck at Stanford University, refers to the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work.
People with this mindset embrace challenges, learn from criticism, and persist in the face of setbacks, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and resilience.
On the other hand, a fixed mindset is characterised by the belief that abilities and intelligence are static traits that cannot be changed.
Managers with a fixed mindset may avoid challenges, feel threatened by others’ success, and give up easily when faced with difficulties. This can lead to a stagnant organisational culture where fear of failure stifles innovation and limits potential growth.
It is important to note that we are all a mixture of growth and fixed mindset, depending on the circumstances.
You can take this IDR Labs test which highlights an individual’s degree of fixed versus growth mindset based on Dweck’s research:
Carol Dweck’s 6 Dimensions
Typically, the 2 mindsets differ on these six dimensions:
For all of us working in global business, adopting a growth mindset is essential. It not only enhances personal development but also drives team performance, encourages creativity, and supports the company’s ability to navigate complex, dynamic markets.
Three steps to developing a growth mindset
It’s all about noticing your mindset and embracing failure or limitations:
- Hear – Learn to hear your fixed mindset voice, for example: “I can’t possibly travel to Germany three times a year for meetings.” or “I just don’t understand how that part of the business works.”
- Choose – Recognise that you ALWAYs have a choice about your response to obstacles, failure, set-backs and criticism.
- Reframe – Reframe with a growth mindset voice using GET & YET: “I GET to travel to Germany three times a year for meetings.” or “I don’t understand how that part of the business works – YET.”
Try asking yourself “Is this belief I have real, or does it just feel real?” – it will help you develop a growth mindset.
For further evidence of the impact this can have, check out these videos:
Grit: the power of passion and perseverance | Angela Lee Duckworth
The Mindset of a Champion | Carson Byblow
Growth Mindset is one of red10’s Mini Masterclasses, so please get in touch if would like to find out more or arrange training for your team.