How can MI help team members overcome self-doubt and develop a growth mindset?

2 How does MI help with self-doubt?

Self-doubt is a form of ambivalence, where the person has conflicting thoughts and feelings about their abilities, goals, or actions. Self-doubt can undermine a person's confidence, motivation, and performance. MI can help with self-doubt by helping the person explore their doubts and clarify their values and aspirations. By expressing empathy, you can show that you understand and respect the person's perspective and emotions. By developing discrepancy, you can help the person see the gap between their current situation and their desired outcome. By rolling with resistance, you can avoid arguing or judging the person's doubts, and instead invite them to consider alternative viewpoints. By supporting self-efficacy, you can reinforce the person's belief in their own capacity to change and achieve their goals.

4 How to apply MI in your team?

MI is not only a technique, but also a style and a spirit. To apply MI in your team, you need to adopt a collaborative, respectful, and evocative approach. To help you use MI in your team, create a safe and trusting space where members can share their thoughts and feelings without fear of criticism or rejection. Listen actively and attentively to them, using reflective listening to demonstrate understanding and empathy. Ask open-ended questions that elicit their own reasons and goals for change, avoiding closed-ended or leading questions that imply your own agenda or opinion. Affirm strengths, efforts, and achievements without offering conditional, comparative, or evaluative praise. Reflect back ambivalence and resistance without confronting, correcting, or coercing. Support self-efficacy and autonomy while avoiding imposing, directing, or advising. Finally, summarize key points and action steps while inviting them to confirm or correct your understanding.

5 What are the benefits of MI for your team?

The use of MI in your team can provide a multitude of advantages for both you and your team members. Not only will it boost engagement and satisfaction, but it can also improve communication and collaboration. This will lead to better performance and outcomes, as well as reducing stress and conflict. Your team members will feel more valued and involved in their own development, as well as having more positive and supportive interactions and feedback. They will be able to communicate more effectively, collaborate more constructively, have higher motivation, confidence, and skills to overcome challenges, and have more flexible and adaptive mindsets.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?