What is a Growth Mindset?

Growth mindset is a term first used by Stanford University professor and psychologist Carol Dweck, following a study of students and their attitudes towards setbacks and failures.

Individuals leaning towards a growth mindset believe they can learn new skills and develop their talents. They embrace change, are willing to accept risks and work collaboratively. 

On the other end of the scale is a fixed mindset. A person leaning towards a fixed mindset tends to believe they are born with a level of intelligence or talent that is impossible to develop. They may find change or challenges difficult to overcome.

Why is a Growth Mindset Beneficial in the Workplace? 

• It encourages motivation
• It builds trust, confidence and collaboration
• Individuals become more adaptable
• Teams become better equipped to overcome obstacles and setbacks
• Staff members have the opportunity to develop their potential

Ways to Build a Growth Mindset

Encourage Collaboration

Create a work setting where team members feel they can speak freely and are confident to express ideas or suggestions. If you're a leader leaning towards a more fixed mindset, encouraging collaboration may feel uncomfortable. You might think it undermines your authority or weakens your leadership, but demonstrating confidence in your team does the opposite.

Building a participative working environment encourages motivation and allows team members to work together on finding solutions to problems. As the team bounces ideas off each other, it could be a springboard for inspiration and innovation.

Not everyone will feel comfortable putting themselves forward in a group setting, especially if this is a new practice. Quieter team members could have a great suggestion but lack the confidence to speak up. Try to accommodate group and one-to-one discussions to give everyone a chance to contribute in a setting where they are comfortable.

Celebrate Progress

Celebrating the success of achieving a target or a goal is the most natural way to incorporate recognition within a business or individual. While this is understandable, a growth mindset doesn’t just recognise reaching the end goal. Acknowledging the effort, progress and development, irrespective of the outcome, are all essential factors for someone with a growth mindset.

Appreciating these elements helps with building motivation and confidence for the next project. Commending the input and progress of the whole team is also vital.

Embrace Risk and Failure

Growth means change, and change comes with the element of the unknown. Trying something different will always come with a level of risk. Many successful entrepreneurs will have encountered glitches and failures before making it. Undeterred, it spurred them on. A person with a growth mindset accepts failure as part of the learning process.

Foster this attitude within the team. Leaders can help by being open about their own challenges and how they overcame them. Allow staff to make mistakes and not to fear failure. If there is a problem, encourage them to reflect on the situation. What have they learned? How do they move forward?

This approach will empower them to step outside their comfort zone and be open to new ideas. As they become familiar with the discomfort of setbacks, they will be more adaptable when encountering difficult situations in the future.

Invest in the Development of Staff

If team members have aspirations beyond their current role, how can you assist them in their career progression? If they are an admin assistant looking to become a landscape gardener, then OK, it might be tricky, but if they have a desire to move into accounts, then help them nurture this dream. The alternative is that they feel there is no room for development within the business and will go elsewhere.

You could arrange for them to spend time shadowing the accounts team or provide study leave while they take a course. Devise a career path with them, even if a position is not immediately available. 

The possibility to develop does not stop with someone looking to climb the career ladder. Even if somebody is satisfied with their role, there still could be opportunities. Perhaps, for instance, a training course would make them feel more confident in a software package they use. It could give them the know-how to implement processes that will work better for them and the business. 

Care About Employee Wellbeing

According to research by the charity Mind, 30% of the participants questioned did not feel they could talk with their line manager if they were experiencing stress. 

The shutters tend to come down when we suffer from prolonged stress. We become less adaptable, and even minor obstacles seem insurmountable. These tendencies are counterproductive to a growth mindset culture.

Provide a supportive environment where open dialogue is possible for individuals who may be feeling stressed or overwhelmed at work. They need reassurance that this is not an admission of failure or not about being up to the job. Work with them to seek solutions, whether it requires a reorganisation of workloads or advice for a particular issue.   

Understand Resistance

For those positioned towards the fixed mindset end of the spectrum, embracing a growth mindset could be challenging, particularly if existing practices and cultures are modified.

It’s important not to get frustrated with any resistance when implementing changes. Try to understand what might be causing the resistance. Some individuals could see no reason to change the status quo. The prospect of change could be unsettling. Why is this?

Perhaps they lack self-belief or feel too old to learn something new. What could you do to boost their confidence? Can you remind them of all they have achieved so far? How can you make them feel more comfortable about the situation?

Encouraging open conversation and feedback can be tricky if an individual has a fixed mindset. They could see feedback or suggestions about training and development as an attack on their work or abilities. Show empathy and take small steps. It can take time to change mindsets. Also, accept that not everyone will embrace this new approach.

Key Takeaway

Those already set towards a growth mindset will likely welcome these concepts. Those on the fixed scale will need some nurturing but feeling the joy of a small win or a new learning experience can be inspiring. A collaborative team who supports each other will encourage a collective desire for success. Being empowered to take risks without fear of the consequences will build resilience, strengthen development and support innovation.