DEVELOPMENT
Do you have the mindset for success ?
Have you ever worked with someone who believed they were better than others , shifted the blame when things went wrong and would not listen to other people ’ s ideas ? If so , you have worked with someone with a ‘ fixed mindset ’, says Petris Lapis
THE EXPERT
Petris Lapis has worked in accounting , law , academia , banking , business and training . She has consulted to government and industry and published several books and hundreds of papers . She has studied commerce , law , coaching , NLP and hypnosis . Petris is a rower , a coach and a mum to two teenagers . She loves warm sunny days , great food , laughter , exercise and moments of calm .
On the other hand , have you ever worked with someone who was open to hearing other people ’ s ideas , saw mistakes as learning opportunities , worked hard , focused on teamwork , and could cope with setbacks and keep going until they succeeded ? If so , you have worked with someone who has a ‘ growth mindset ’.
Dr Carol Dweck researches the difference between fixed and growth mindsets and the impacts they have upon life and success . A growth mindset helps you to become a lifelong learner able to adopt new skills as needed and to thrive in even the most challenging times of your life and your career . If you adopt a fixed mindset , you will spend your life and career avoiding challenges and giving up when things get hard .
These mindsets relate to our personal lives , too . Ever dated someone who expected you to be perfectly compatible with them , to give them total uncritical acceptance and to be a mind reader ? If so , they had a fixed mindset and probably got upset if you disagreed with them or sought constant reassurance that you still loved them . If your partner has a growth mindset , on the other hand , they understand we are all flawed , know the value of communication and are supportive of your growth and learning .
Given what you have read so far , do you believe you have a fixed or a growth mindset or do you change depending on the situation ? The answer is usually a mix of both . You might have a growth mindset when your manager gives you feedback at work and a fixed mindset when your partner gives you feedback on how to stack the dishwasher at home . We all start out with a growth mindset . Babies and toddlers try and fail again and again . They keep going until they master skills such as talking and walking without being self-conscious or frightened of failure . This changes around the age of four when we get a sense of self . One of the things that moves you to one mindset or the other is the way you are praised . If you are praised for your natural talent and ability , you will move towards a fixed mindset . If you are praised for the effort you put in , your attitude , or the way you approached a task , you will move towards a growth mindset . The same thing happens in the workforce . If you praise the way someone went about completing a task , they will want to replicate that same effort on the next task and will have a growth mindset towards it . If you praise a report for being 100 % perfect , the team member will want to replicate that perfection and will move towards a fixed mindset .
Organisations can have a fixed or a growth mindset , which usually flows from its leader . A leader with a fixed mindset takes credit for other people ’ s work , won ’ t admit mistakes , will be surrounded by leader pleasers , lax ethics and no-one owning mistakes when they occur . if you disagree with the leader you will be made to believe it is ‘ because you are just not bright enough to get it ’. A leader with a growth mindset can admit when they are wrong and believe in growing their teams and asking for feedback , ideas and help .
How do you encourage a growth mindset in your workplace so that everyone can thrive ? You can do these things : w Present skills as learnable ( rather than just for those with talent ) w Value learning and perseverance over genius w Give feedback about effort and improvement ( not perfect outcomes ) w Ensure managers are available to others as a learning resource ( the ability and willingness to ask for help when it is needed is a sign of a growth mindset )
How can you have a growth mindset more often in your own life ? Start monitoring what is going on during your working day . When things happen , instead of judging yourself , ask yourself questions such as , ‘ What can I learn from this ?’, ‘ How can I improve ?’ or ‘ How can I help my manager or team do better ?’ A way recommended by therapists is to give your fixed mindset a name . Mine is ‘ Boris ’ and when the fixed mindset makes a mistake , you have a conversation with it . Remind your mindset that you are changing from a judge and be judged framework to a learn and help learn framework .
A growth mindset can make difference to your day and your workplace . S www . petrislapis . com
52 Executive PA | Summer Issue 2021