One of the many qualities employers try to find in their workers is growth mindset. They do not try to find the smartest people in the room anymore. They are set to find people who see opportunities instead of obstacles and failure as a chance to develop their abilities further, instead of rolling under their blanket and hiding from the world.
What is it that people call a growth mindset?
A growth mindset is a way of viewing challenges and setbacks. Someone with a growth mindset believes, even if they struggle, that their talents and ability can be developed. They work hard to improve and tend to achieve more than their peers who have a fixed mindset. When entire companies embrace a growth mindset, their employees report feeling far more empowered and committed; they also receive far greater organizational support for collaboration and innovation.
What is not a growth mindset?
Sitting across the table of growth mindset is a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset believes that your abilities, talents, intelligence, or personality traits are given and unchangeable. You’re born with what you’re born with—and that’s it. The fixed mindset is quite common and it is harmful. Having a fixed mindset usually comes with a fear of failure as we people with a fixed mindset believe that the ability that they have will not improve and they will be afraid to try new things or learn anything new. At the end of the day, once they have struggled enough, they may fall into the trap of a failure mindset where they think they can never go beyond the skills they have and succeed.
What people confuse it with
Although the term has become a buzzword in many companies, many people still do not understand it fully and do not have the right understanding of growth mindset. For one, having a growth mindset is not the same as being optimistic. The two are closely related, however, not the same. Growth mindset is more of a self esteem movement where you believe you can improve and work hard for it, where optimism is the tendency to maintain a positive outlook within the constraints of the available ‘measurable phenomena situated in the physical and social world’. The two support one another.
Another thing people mistake for a growth mindset is giving praise and reward for efforts. Yes, we highly appreciate efforts and improvements but when employees are unproductive, it is never a good thing. It is very important to encourage improvement, reward efforts and celebrate success when it is due.
Now that we understand what a growth mindset really is, we shall tell you, it is not easy to implement this mindset daily and all the time. When we face challenges, receive criticism, or fare poorly compared with others, we can easily fall into insecurity or defensiveness, a response that inhibits growth. Your workplace and peers also play a big role in implementing this mindset. Be sure you are dwelling in the right environment that is positive and supportive of your growth.
