Four Steps to Develop a Growth Mindset- Part Two

In Tip #1061, we considered the first two steps involved in developing a growth mindset. In this Tip, we continue the discussion by looking at the last two steps.

Step 3. Talk back to it with a growth mindset voice.

Here are the two internal voices that you may hear arguing with each other in the face of a challenge:

FIXED-MINDSET: ??????????“Are you sure you can do it? Maybe you don’t have the talent.”

GROWTH-MINDSET: ????“I’m not sure I can do it now, but I think I can learn with time and effort."

FIXED MINDSET: ??????????“What if you fail—you’ll be a failure”

GROWTH MINDSET: ????“Most successful people had failures along the way.”

FIXED MINDSET: ??????????“If you don’t try, you can protect yourself and keep your dignity.”

GROWTH MINDSET: ????“If I don’t try, I automatically fail. Where’s the dignity in that?”

Step 4. Take growth mindset action.

Over time, which voice you heed becomes pretty much your choice.

Whether you take on the challenge wholeheartedly, learn from your setbacks and try again, hear the criticism and act on it is now in your hands.

Practice hearing both voices, and practice acting on the growth mindset.

See how you can make it work for you.

A Word of Caution: Beware of a False Growth Mindset

Even though we all have it, nobody wants to admit to a fixed mindset.

We want to be seen with a growth mindset.?

It turns out that many people pretend to have a growth mind by shallow interpretation of what a growth mindset is.

Here are some examples to be wary of. ?

One of Dweck’s finding is that we should not praise intelligence and innate skills rather effort.

True, but this is not enough.

Praising employees' process (their hard work, strategies, focus, and persistence) is fine, but it must be tied to their performance, learning, or progress.

Don’t say "Great effort" or “Great job” as a consolation prize for employees who weren't learning and making ineffective effort.

Managers need to tell the truth.

They can acknowledge laudable effort, but they also need to acknowledge when employees are not learning effectively and that their efforts are leading them nowhere.

Managers must work with them to find new effective strategies.?

By the way, telling your employees to try harder is another ineffective practice that does not lead to a growth mindset.

In the name of a growth mindset, don’t tell your employees that they are capable of anything.

While this may be true, simply asserting it does not make it so, when people don't yet have the knowledge, skills, strategies, or resources to bring this about.

Most importantly, do not blame your employees’ mindsets for their failure to resolve an issue or problem.