The Growth Mindset Story Type: Telling Your Story Through the Lens of Improvement

We all love a good story. Whether it's a book, a movie, or a personal anecdote, stories have the power to captivate and connect us on a deeper level.

As entrepreneurs and executives, we can tell stories of our companies, customers, products, and successes. But how do we tell these stories in a way that resonates with our audience and inspires them to take action?

One powerful technique is through the lens of a Growth Mindset Story Type. Here’s our guide to understanding what a growth mindset is, its impact on your business, and how to craft a powerful growth mindset business story that leaves a lasting impression on your customers.

The Growth Mindset: What It Really Is (and Isn’t)

I've always approached life with what is commonly thought of as a “growth mindset.” But I also subscribe to the belief that some people are better at some things than others: your strengths, your WHY. These are all unique blends.

For instance, my 11-year-old son is a highly talented drummer. He asked if I could drum like him.

My response: “If I spent a long time and worked incredibly hard at it, yes. But you have something in you, a talent, a passion, that means you love it so much and are drawn to it so much that the work doesn’t feel like work.”

Now, I do believe people have innate talents, but I also know that the research shows it will only get you so far. You have to work at it to turn that talent into success. Talent can give you the motivation and boost you need early on in an endeavor. This also makes people think they can't do things if they don't have a natural talent. They see talented people shooting off into the sunset with their immediate success and say, "I can't do THAT!"

I view a growth mindset as something that reframes how we think about our abilities and experiences. It's not about making a big deal about your mistakes; it's about bringing more value to what you do because of what you have learned. Be it through mistakes or active learning. The idea is that instead of focusing on what we can't do — which leads to a fixed, or worse yet, deficit mindset ?— we focus on what we can do, which fosters a growth mindset. The emphasis is on learning and improvement and that some success paves the way to other successes (ours or others).

The Impact of a Growth Mindset on a Business and Its Stories

Although adopting a growth mindset can benefit a business leader, it can also be difficult. Simply working harder does not guarantee better results or increased learning. It’s essential to use effective strategies, maintain consistency, and be open to feedback from individuals of all ranks within the organization.

To that end, embodying a growth mindset within your storytelling can significantly influence how you communicate about your business. This perspective allows you to craft narratives that deeply resonate with your audience, building empathy and creating a shared journey.

Stories told through a growth mindset lens can help those who hear them see obstacles as opportunities for learning and growth, enhancing a culture of continuous improvement. Consequently, such stories reinforce your organization's growth mindset and commitment to the customer experience. When these stories represent a facet of your value to customers, you build trust and loyalty, translating into long-term business success.

Applying the Growth Mindset Story Type

In a Growth Mindset Story Type, the focus is not just on the destination but the lessons learned along the way and how those lessons add value to the customer experience. Instead of presenting a glossy, picture-perfect image of your company, share the struggles, failures, and pivots that helped you get to where you are today and how the culture of a growth mindset enabled that. Look for the failures, too, when a fixed mindset is deployed.

As an organization that embodies a growth mindset, you will have stories to tell about your customers. Stories of asking questions, gathering feedback, and using this information to iterate and improve your products and services constantly.

You can also look internally for story inspiration. Does your organization support the talented, enabling them to double down and become brilliant at what they do? Do you also support those who struggle with encouragement to do things they thought were out of their reach? What about encouraging people to speak up and challenge the status quo? When they do, are they punished politically, or do people listen and consider their input — no matter how uncomfortable their challenging questions may be? These are all sources of your growth mindset storytelling.

Another way to apply the growth mindset to storytelling is by demonstrating your company's commitment to ongoing education and improvement. Highlight how your team members constantly learn?through professional development courses, peer feedback, or trying new things. By emphasizing the value of learning and growth within your company culture, you attract like-minded individuals and create a sense of momentum and progress that will inspire your audience to get involved.

I’ve had some clients express concerns about having a Growth Mindset Story Type, and they wonder ifsharing a story crafted with it could diminish their credibility. The way to manage this is to clearly show how the growth experiences of your people and your company add value to the customer experience. Without such internal experiences, you couldn’t deliver what you do for your customers or clients.

Embracing Growth Mindset Stories

To tell your story through the lens of a growth mindset, you must embrace it. And even if you don't embody it today, that might change in the future. At that point, it might make sense to tell your story through that lens. If you are safe in the knowledge that a Growth Mindset Story Type is the right kind of story type for you to use in your storytelling, then embrace it wholeheartedly!

The Growth Mindset Story Type is a powerful tool for you as an entrepreneur or executive looking for a story that resonates with your audience. By embracing a growth mindset and framing your story as a journey of improvement, you can humanize your brand, build deeper connections with your audience, and inspire others to join you on the path toward progress.

Remember, the Growth Mindset Story Type may lead to other story types in the future, and that's OK. But telling this type of story when it makes sense will be a cornerstone of your company's ability to engage your audience.

Now is the time to showcase your growth mindset with powerful storytelling frameworks and tools. Take our Business Story Type Assessment, then schedule a 20-minute story assessment call with Go Narrative and let's see if we can help you tell the right business story.?