I’ve been following the work of Stanford Professor Carol Dweck over the past few years concerning the research topic she calls “growth mindset.” Her research on this subject is about as compelling for a coach or manager as anything that I have ever seen.
Simply stated, she has shown that people who have a growth mindset believe that they can increase their level of ability and intelligence through hard work. This is especially true if a person believes they are at an initial disadvantage compared to others.
Dr. Dweck has consistently demonstrated that people who believe their intelligence and abilities are fixed respond dismally to failure. They often feel hopeless and depressed because they believe there is little they can do to change the outcome of their futures.
In the realm of education, she has even discovered that students who are taught about the growth mindset do remarkably better than those who receive traditional skills training (ex. study skills, time management skills, etc.)
It is not difficult to make the connection to the business world. As a manager, you’ll have a much greater return on the time you spend with your direct reports if you apply these principles. This may seem counterintuitive, but it is better to assess and build the growth mindset in those you coach than spend time teaching them the skill-based steps to success.
Check out this interview with Dr. Dweck for some interesting perspectives:
Note: If you’re an email subscriber, see the Dr. Dweck video by visiting WorkPuzzle.
Like anything, you’ll need to internalize these ideas to effectively teach them to those you coach. Here are some questions you can ask yourself on this topic:
Do I have the growth mindset or a fixed mindset?
Do I feel anxious and depressed after failing?
Do I avoid tasks because of the fear of failure?
Do I put less effort into tasks because I feel hopeless about making progress?
Do I find that when I’m carrying out a task, I am worried about how good I look at it, rather than what I am learning from it?
Do I miss learning opportunities because of fear of failure?
