I don’t want to launch a game of buzzword bingo unless you’re up for a challenge. Jokes aside, I want to expand on a concept that will influence the way you lead and grow in your career. The mindset of a leader impacts success more than skills, tenure, and experience combined. Let’s talk about a growth mindset and how it influences the way you lead.
What Is a Growth Mindset?
A growth mindset is a positive attitude that nurtures the idea of learning from failure. This perspective encourages you to take risks, challenge yourself, and approach difficulties proactively. The concept of a growth mindset suggests that our ability to learn a skill or subject is not fixed, but is dynamic and can be improved over time through continuous work and dedication.
Growth mindsets foster success by driving us toward our personal goals, even if we start small. This perspective believes it’s never too late to change, leading to greater resilience in the face of setbacks as we aspire for personal growth. With this mindset, achieving our dreams is not only possible but inevitable!
Fixed Mindset Vs. Growth Mindset
Carol S. Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford University, suggests that the key to success lies in having a growth mindset rather than a fixed one. In her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck explains that individuals with a growth mindset tend to approach challenges with enthusiasm, seeking to learn and improve themselves on their own merits.
On the other hand, those with a fixed mindset become discouraged easily and avoid tough challenges because they fear failure or worry that they don’t have the skills necessary to succeed. To improve themselves, those with a fixed mindset believe they must acquire new abilities from outside sources instead of developing them on their own.
Growing our understanding of these differing mindsets can help us define our own patterns of thinking and make proactive decisions in order to adapt and grow both personally and professionally.
Common Misconceptions About A Growth Mindset
I’ve always had it.
One of the most common misconceptions about the growth mindset theory is that it is an innate trait that one either has or does not have. This is simply untrue. The growth mindset theory states that everyone has the potential to change and grow their skills, knowledge, and abilities given the right circumstances.
It’s just about praising effort.
While it is true that the theory encourages people to recognize and applaud hard work, the growth mindset theory goes much further.
Talking about a growth mindset is enough.
Having a growth mindset is far more than just knowing the definition of the word – it requires taking actionable steps and making real efforts to re-wire yourself. It requires you to observe, analyze, and adjust the way you think in order to reframe your mindset into one that promotes personal growth.
Fixed Mindset & Growth Mindset in Action:
Growth Mindset Examples:
Case 1 – Delivering Your Best Work:
Joe is a student who is always striving to do better and learn more in his classes. He approaches each task with a growth mindset, believing that he can improve and learn from every situation.
When he received feedback on his last paper that it wasn’t up to the professor’s standards, Joe didn’t give up or become discouraged – instead, he used the feedback as an opportunity to grow and develop his skills even further.
He took extra time and effort to revise his paper, making sure it was error-free and met the professor’s expectations, achieving a much higher grade in the end.
Joe’s willingness to learn and challenge himself in order to grow demonstrates how having a growth mindset can pay off in everyday situations.
Case 2 – Making Better Decisions:
A great example of a leader who embodies a growth mindset can be seen in the decision-making process of Bonnie, a small business owner.
When she was first starting out, Bonnie realized that not all of the decisions she made were 100% successful and when things did not work out as planned, Bonnie took those experiences as learning opportunities. She allowed herself to find what worked, and what didn’t, and how to move forward effectively with her team. Beyond this, she also used the failures as an opportunity to gain insight into new areas that could benefit her business in the long run.
This demonstrates how a growth mindset can empower even novice leaders to think outside the box and continuously seek improvement.
Fixed Mindset Example:
Imagine an employee (Phil) who is poised for a promotion within their organization that would add significant responsibility. Despite possessing the necessary skillset and driving impressive results for the particular job, Phil may be unwilling to apply because he feels unprepared or unqualified.
Phil’s hesitation expresses a deep-seated belief that success depends on innate abilities rather than hard work and perseverance – key components of a fixed mindset. Putting off seeking advancement hinders talent development and deprives people of the opportunity to grow professionally.
Key Benefits of Growth Mindset Leadership
Increased Innovation and Risk-Taking
By embracing change and teaching others to look at challenges from different angles, leaders help talent stretch to their potential and escape stagnation. With a focus on learning, leaders with a growth mindset create a tolerant environment where everyone feels safe to try new approaches and take risks in order to bring their best innovations forward.
Leaders with a growth mindset recognize the need for mistakes along the way and how failing can actually lead to success. This dynamic paradigm encourages others to stretch beyond what is comfortable in order to reach a higher level of performance and success which allows organizations as a whole to reach entirely new levels of development.
Boosted Confidence
People with a growth mindset tend to be more open to criticism, viewing it as an opportunity for learning rather than a personal failure. When faced with challenging moments, they remain resilient, motivated, and determined in the pursuit of success. Their self-esteem is not affected as easily by setbacks.
Furthermore, because they are not afraid to fail, they often make more confident decisions faster. This in turn increases the likelihood of achieving solutions and reaching their desired outcome.
Goals Are More Likely To Be Achieved
Leadership with a growth mindset intrinsically believes that everyone has the potential to become an effective and successful leader, regardless of prior experience or training. Such leaders focus on making positive changes in their organization and intentionally creating opportunities for team members to learn and grow through guided feedback, mentoring, and collaborative problem-solving.
By focusing on setting achievable goals, combined with an innate understanding of leadership principles, leaders with a growth mindset will be better equipped to face the challenges ahead; utilizing flexible strategies, adaptability, creative collaboration, and goal-focused work in order to maximize success.
Makes The Learning Fun
Leaders who embrace learning as an opportunity to refine their skills can not only enrich their own knowledge but also motivate their team to do the same. A growth mindset allows leaders to apply learning from previous experiences, connecting it thoroughly with each new learning opportunity. This makes learning fun and improves its impact on success. It lets leaders take the stress out of learning and instead leverages knowledge gained through motivation and determination rather than being held back by fear of failure or past experiences.
9 Effective Strategies for Developing a Growth Mindset
1. Embrace New Things
A great way to cultivate a stronger growth mindset is to embrace new things. The status quo is always the easiest place to stay and the most uncomfortable to depart from. Changes don’t have to be astronomical in dimension. Simply venturing outside of your comfort zone, and exposing yourself to unfamiliar experiences helps challenge existing assumptions and encourages curiosity and creativity.
For example, if you have an established routine, why not try deviating from it and experimenting with different methods? This way, you can receive feedback on the effectiveness of your choices and learn if those strategies will better suit your needs moving forward. It could also lead to unexpected opportunities that wouldn’t have been available otherwise.
Embracing the unknown may seem intimidating, but allowing yourself the space to explore even in small ways can lead to positive results in the long run.
2. Practice Growth Mindset Vocabulary, Like “Yet”
Dweck’s research found that by simply replacing the words “can’t” and “won’t” with the word “yet” you can shift your mindset from one of stagnation to one focused on growth and progress. By doing this, we are taking ownership of our current state; accepting that we don’t know everything right away, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t come to understand it or perform it well over time.
Recognize that failure is part of growth and progress. Embrace the idea of not giving up when faced with challenges and continually strive for self-improvement. This demonstrates a great optimism surrounding future learning and the possibilities for success.
Focusing on “growth vocabulary” helps us to move from zeroing in on our deficits to focusing on how far we have come and the ways in which we improved. This becomes a powerful reminder that each success has taken us closer to achieving our goals. “Growth vocabulary” shifts our focus forward.
3. Taking The Time For Reflection
To begin with our growth mindset journey, it is important to reflect on our current performance. Examine areas such as communication skills, problem-solving techniques, creativity, and interpersonal relationships.
During this reflection process, we must hold ourselves accountable while maintaining an attitude of curiosity toward different methods of development or improvement. Approach the reflection process honestly and with intentionality so that you can recognize areas of strength as well as the changes you want to implement for advancement.
A simple, yet effective method I have shared with many of my clients is an evening routine where you reflect on what went well and what didn’t. Then you write down two or three bullet points of what you want to start/keep/stop doing. It’s simple, which is what makes it easy to adhere to this habit. The insights have been powerful for many leaders who have reported seeing great improvements accrue over time.
4. Learn to Serve Others
When we focus our energies on helping someone accomplish their goals, it allows us to let go of overly self-centered desires and concerns and work more collaboratively towards solutions. Serving others reminds us that not all progress needs to be measured in terms of individual accomplishments; instead, we can achieve things in teams where everyone can make an impact and grow together.
5. Ditch Perfectionism and Embrace the Process
Perfectionists often fear taking risks or making mistakes, both of which are important elements of learning and growth. Instead of striving for perfection, focus on learning something new and challenge your abilities. Shift your mind to embrace mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth.
I didn't fail 1000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1000 steps. (Thomas A. Edison) Share on XBy adopting a growth mindset you begin to embrace the process and learning over immediate success and give credit to incremental learning gains – both for yourself and your team.
6. Relinquish Preconceived Notions of Success
One of the most important strategies for developing a growth mindset is to relinquish preconceived notions of success. This means refusing to measure success solely in terms of A+ grades, salaries, or awards and embracing a philosophy that prioritizes personal improvement over accomplishments.
I never once failed at making a light bulb. I just found out 99 ways not to make one. (Thomas A. Edison) Share on XInstead of trying to hit benchmarks set by others, focus on expanding your skillset and refining your talents. Ask yourself how you can expand existing strengths and cultivate new ones even if it doesn’t result in hitting a particular goal right away.
7. Invite Collaboration and Constructive Criticism
Involving others in the decision-making process encourages alternative perspectives which can lead to fresh and innovative ideas. An open exchange of critical feedback can help identify areas needing improvement and encourages us to strive for excellence.
Whereas leaders with a fixed mindset may shy away from such conversations, those with a growth mindset will welcome them – embracing opportunities to receive helpful insight while also deepening connections in the process. Collaboration and constructive criticism remain core strategies for developing a growth leadership mindset.
8. Set SMART Goals
Goal setting is a fundamental step to developing a growth mindset. By utilizing the SMART Goal Framework, our ambitions can be narrowed down and structured in an orderly way so that tracking progress is easy. This approach challenges us to stop relying on natural talent and fortune and rather pursue tasks that require practice and knowledge.
Goal setting also helps keep our morale high since it allows us to take stock of how far we have come. Even small successes can motivate us to keep growing.
9. Identify the Beliefs That Hold You Back
Taking control of your own successes and setbacks begins with understanding the beliefs that limit you from achieving your goals. To develop a growth mindset, start by identifying limiting beliefs that hold you back:
- Are you leading yourself to believe that you are unable to succeed because of your circumstances?
- Do negative voices (a.k.a. your “inner critic”) in your mind stop you from giving it a try?
- How do you approach your inner dialogue?
- What assumptions are you making about yourself, others, your circumstances, the future, the possibilities, etc.?
- What options have you not explored, and why?
- What would it take for you to get past these limitations that are within your control?
When negative thoughts arise, acknowledge them and actively question them. Ask yourself if they’re true and if they’ll help or hinder your efforts. With self-inquiry, practice critical thinking and examine why these self-limiting beliefs have taken hold of you and if you wish to give space to them in that moment.
Identifying Fixed & Growth Mindsets: Quick Tips
1. Love Being Complimented
People with an ingrained fixed mindset often focus heavily on external validation from others to make them feel successful. As such, they will be the first people to jump at any opportunity to brag about their accomplishments or show off their superior intellect.
Leaders should take note when individuals in the group regularly bring up their own successes and skills. It may signal that they are trying too hard to get approval from others, indicating a fixed mindset. Conversely, someone with a growth mindset is generally more likely to downplay their achievements and celebrate successes as a collective effort.
2. Not Handling Failure Well
Those who are rigid in their thinking often struggle to learn from mistakes or setbacks due to their lack of adaptability. They instead opt for avoidance tactics like blaming external factors, reducing ownership in projects, and refusing to take part in activities that challenge their beliefs.
3. Taking Fewer Risks
People with a fixed mindset lack flexibility and are often content with the knowledge they already have. Meanwhile, those with a growth mindset seek learning opportunities to improve their current skill sets. Leaders should look for signs of decreased risk-taking behavior among team members. Team members with a fixed mindset will be less likely to take risks, originate ideas, and innovate solutions because they are concerned about their definition of failure in front of others.
Identifying these individuals can be extremely valuable for leaders as it helps to identify potential barriers that may hinder organizational performance. It provides an opportunity for coaching toward a mind focused on new possibilities and growth without fear.
3 Ways To Help Your Team Develop A Growth Mindset
1. Build a Culture of Continuous Learning
Leadership is all about empowering your team to be their best and express their fullest potential. One of the most powerful ways to foster a growth mindset in your team is to build a culture of continuous learning. This means creating an environment where it’s safe for employees to take risks, learn from mistakes, and grow professionally.
By providing many avenues of learning – such as training programs, literature, or coaching sessions – leaders can provide their teams with resources to help them discover their skills and bolster their confidence in their abilities.
This kind of culture sets up team members for success in their roles and allows them to develop new skills. It helps everyone on the team understand that regardless of experience or tenure, there is always room to improve through education and development.
2. Encourage Individual Growth
A key part of encouraging individual growth is understanding that there are many types of personalities. People will excel at different tasks and grow differently. Leaders create a culture of growth by helping team members identify their talents and challenges, providing appropriate stretch challenges and encouragement, and helping them foster their own personal development goals. Part of this culture of growth is the intentional acknowledgment by leaders of the success of individuals and teams along the way.
3. Reward Risk and Progress
Successful people often understand that failure is part of the process and even celebrate it. Leaders can relay this mentality by rewarding risk and progress instead of just results, thus encouraging their team to continue their efforts despite obstacles.
When progress is stalled, leaders can coach their direct reports to use a problem-solving methodology to remove obstacles, assess risks, and discover new options. By making an effort to reward and review approaches, processes, and insight instead of exclusively focusing on the end result, leaders can develop teams with a growth mindset—fostering resilience and creativity along the way.
The Bottom Line
The mindset of a leader is an integral part of their ability to motivate and succeed. Leaders with a growth-oriented outlook are better equipped to face challenges, adapt quickly to changes, and demonstrate resilience. They understand that embracing failure is a way of learning. They view hardships as opportunities for development rather than fixed limits.
A growth mindset can help leaders foster a healthy team environment by inspiring commitment, flexibility, and growth. This positive outlook communicates an environment of possibilities for everyone involved with less focus on past experiences or present circumstances.
Ultimately, those who recognize the importance of developing a growth mindset will benefit from increased motivation toward progress as well as an openness to constructive feedback from others.
(LC029)