SharonStanford University psychologist and researcher, Carol Dweck, coined the term ‘Growth Mindset’. It was once believed that intelligence was fixed but this is no longer the case. People can grow their intelligence. The opposite of a Growth Mindset is a Fixed Mindset. Let’s look at the difference.
| FIXED MINDSET | GROWTH MINDSET |
| People with a fixed mindset believe intelligence and talent is static. They believe some people are naturally good at things while others are not. You are not in control of your abilities. | People with a growth mindset believe intelligence and talent can be developed. They believe you have the capacity to learn and grow your skills. You are in control of your abilities. |
| They avoid challenges. They avoid putting themselves in challenging situations and when they are, do not embrace them. | They embrace challenges. They take on challenges and are interested in learning and stretching themselves. |
| They ignore criticism and feedback. They do not like criticism or being corrected at all. They get defensive or take it personally. | They learn from criticism and feedback. They appreciate criticism and feedback and view it as a way to learn and grow. |
| They put in less effort. They do not like putting in effort as they see it as useless. | The put in more effort. They see effort as necessary to grow and master useful skills. |
| They are threatened by the success of others. | They are inspired by the success of others and are eager to learn from the success of others. |
| They experience setbacks as failures. | They persist through setbacks. |
| Have a “why should I bother” attitude. They believe they are the way they are. | They want to keep learning. They have the desire to improve and learn. |
| They see failure as shameful and something to be avoided. Failure is only feedback so don’t be afraid to make mistakes. | They see failure as a valuable lesson. Failure is the greatest teacher. |
Here are some questions to ask yourself to help develop a Growth Mindset?
If you are leader, here are some feedback comments you could give to help your team develop a Growth Mindset :
Always encourage a growth mindset. Remind your team-members of their strengths and help them in areas where they need it. Their success is your success.
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