A growth mindset: It’s the term that’s been buzzing around boardrooms and business circles for a while now. At our recent PBCA Annual Conference in Dallas, a member of the alliance presented on this topic, and I thought it would make a fabulous newsletter as we plan for the new year. In short, a growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence. It’s not about seeing challenges as roadblocks but rather as opportunities to grow. The key question is how to cultivate a growth mindset across your organization. If you’re a manager or a business leader, the responsibility falls on your shoulders to guide your team toward this powerful mindset shift. But don’t worry – this is not a Herculean task. It’s about creating the right environment and giving people the space to thrive, learn, and stretch their capabilities.
Understanding the Growth Mindset
Before we dive into how to cultivate a growth mindset across your organization, let’s break down the concept. A growth mindset, coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, contrasts with a “fixed mindset.” People with a fixed mindset believe talents and intelligence are set in stone. They avoid challenges, fear failure, and see effort as a waste of time. On the flip side, those with a growth mindset embrace challenges, learn from feedback, and view effort as the path to mastery.
Dweck’s research with students highlights the transformative power of praising progress over accomplishments. By focusing on the process – such as the strategies used, the effort applied, and the progress made – students learn to value growth and perseverance. This approach directly counters the fixed mindset, which often ties self-worth to static achievements. When individuals are encouraged to recognize their incremental improvements and see challenges as opportunities, they build resilience and a deeper motivation to learn.
In her research, she showed that in the following semester, the students praised for progress outperformed those praised for accomplishment, like getting an A or 100% in a course. The students who got an “A” were already at the top, so there was no obvious opportunity to do better. That’s the fixed mindset at work. Applying this principle within an organization means fostering an environment where employees are celebrated not just for their outcomes but for the creativity, effort, and learning they demonstrate along the way.
This shift creates a culture that thrives on development and innovation, embracing the growth mindset at every level. Applying this concept can be as simple as adding the word “yet” to any task or concept that some have not grasped; it opens the opportunity to improve when we say you are not able to do that yet.
This mindset is transformative – not just for individuals but for entire teams. In organizations where growth mindsets are prevalent, employees are more likely to collaborate, take risks, and, most important, keep improving. This can be a game-changer for productivity, innovation, and morale.
Lead by Example: The Power of Modelling the Right Behaviour
As a leader, you’re the role model. It starts with you if you want to cultivate a growth mindset across your organization. Leaders who openly embrace learning, admit mistakes, show vulnerability, and show resilience in the face of challenges set a tone that ripples through the team. You must be the first to demonstrate that growth doesn’t happen without setbacks.
This doesn’t mean you have to make every mistake public or fail spectacularly for everyone to see. Instead, it’s about showing the team you are willing to try new things, learn from feedback, and view mistakes as learning opportunities. When your team sees that you’re not afraid of failure, they’ll feel empowered to take on more challenges without fear of falling short. Eduardo Briceno does a great job explaining growth and fixed mindset in this short and impactful video that I highly recommend.
Foster a Safe Space for Learning
Think about a time when you were afraid to speak up in a meeting or hesitated to try something new because you were worried about being judged. Now, imagine that same fear hanging over your entire team. A big part of cultivating a growth mindset is ensuring your team feels safe enough to take risks. No one should fear being penalized for making a mistake or asking a “dumb” question. When people feel comfortable making mistakes, they’re more likely to step outside their comfort zones and grow. Companies that have a “Flawless Execution” culture struggle with this and force fear of failure and a fixed mindset, since a growth mindset is less predictable and is too risky.
Creating this kind of environment starts with communication. Encourage open dialogue. Praise effort over outcomes. Let your team know that their value isn’t tied to whether they succeed on their first try but to how they learn and improve over time. It might take some patience, but soon enough, you’ll see your team take on bigger challenges with greater confidence.
Embrace Feedback – Not as Criticism, But as a Tool for Growth
Feedback becomes an invaluable tool if you’re trying to cultivate a growth mindset across your organization. The best teams aren’t afraid of feedback; they see it as a chance to learn and grow. But it’s up to you to make sure that feedback is delivered in the right way. Rather than offering praise or criticism that’s based purely on the result, focus on the effort and the process.
For instance, instead of saying, “That was a great report,” you could say, “I love how you approached this task. Next time, let’s focus a little more on the analysis section.” This type of feedback encourages your team to see feedback as a tool for growth rather than a judgment of their abilities. Also, be sure to couch the feedback in the value set of the recipient. Show them how their actions are either moving them closer to their goals or farther away. Remember, feedback is an act of love since you show that you care about them and their success.
Encourage Lifelong Learning
If you’re really going to cultivate a growth mindset, you’ll need to embrace continuous learning. Help your team recognize that there’s always room to grow, no matter how experienced they are. Offer opportunities for training, development, and education, and make sure these opportunities are easily accessible.
This isn’t just about giving employees the chance to take online courses. It’s also about creating a culture where learning happens in day-to-day activities. Encourage your team to ask questions, experiment with new methods, and share knowledge. Don’t let professional development be a one-time event but rather make it an ongoing journey. Eduardo Briceno says it well in his video about being in the Learning Zone versus the Performance Zone, which parallels the Growth and Fixed mindset.
Recognize and Reward Effort, Not Just Results
One of the cornerstones of a growth mindset is recognizing that effort leads to progress. However, in many workplaces, only results are identified. This is where you can make a huge impact. Recognizing effort – not just success – rewards behaviors crucial for long-term growth. You could highlight someone who spent extra time learning a new skill, even if their project didn’t hit it out of the park.
This will show the rest of your team that growth isn’t just about getting things right on the first try; it’s about the hard work of getting better.
By rewarding effort, you are helping shift the focus from immediate results to ongoing personal and team development. This encourages people to take risks, try new things, and persist even when things are unplanned. It also reinforces the idea that growth happens over time through consistent effort.
The Role of Flexibility: Changing the Physical and Mental Space
A growth mindset isn’t confined to just personal or team development. It’s also about the environment in which people work. If you’re looking to foster growth, flexibility becomes key. This could mean embracing flexible working hours, a more-collaborative office setup, or even something as simple as rearranging the office to make it more open and conducive to teamwork. And if you happen to be relocating your office, there’s a good chance that a change of scenery will refresh everyone’s mindset.
If you’re in the middle of an office move, consider visiting hnmovers.com to help ensure everything is seamlessly set up for maximum productivity and creativity. The new space can help break down barriers between departments, promote collaboration, and remind everyone that change can be a good thing.
Celebrate the Journey, Not Just the Destination
When you cultivate a growth mindset, the focus shifts from simply achieving a goal to embracing the journey of getting there. Every minor achievement along the way becomes a reason for celebration. Encouraging your team to acknowledge their progress – no matter how small – helps reinforce the idea that growth happens incrementally.
In this environment, employees feel more motivated, engaged, and connected to their work. They realize that success isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition, but a process made up of continuous learning, challenges, and growth.
Conclusion
To cultivate a growth mindset across your organization isn’t just to permit people to fail – it’s to give them the freedom to learn, adapt, and grow. Leading with vulnerability, creating a supportive environment, embracing feedback, and celebrating effort inspire your team to push past their limits and unlock their full potential. As you embark on this journey, remember that the path to growth isn’t always linear, but it’s always worth it. By fostering a growth mindset across your organization, you can build a team that thrives on challenges, learns from mistakes, and constantly evolves to meet the demands of tomorrow.
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