Better Leadership through Growth Mindset Dr Paul Wood

Why are some employees highly motivated to develop and others are not?

Mindset and Achievement

Decades of research show a powerful relationship between

mindset and achievement.

People’s beliefs about intelligence and learning impact:

• Motivation

• Learning behaviors (e.g., studying and seeking help)

• Responses to challenges and setbacks

• Performance and achievement

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

Fixed mindset

Intelligence is a fixed trait. You can’t change it.

Growth mindset

You can grow your intelligence through effort.

Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset

Goal?

Values effort?

Reaction to Failure?

Consequences of Beliefs

Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset

Goal? Look Smart

Values effort?

Reaction to Failure?

Consequences of Beliefs

Consequences of Beliefs

Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset

Goal? Look Smart Learn

Values effort?

Reaction to Failure?

Looking smart is most important:

“The main thing I want when I do when I complete a task is to show how good I am at it."

Learning is most important:

“It’s much more important for me to learn things than always do things perfectly.”

Fixed mindset

Growth mindset

Goals? Look Smart Learn

Values effort?

Reaction to Failure?

Goals

ERP Evidence for How Mindsets

Control Attention

Consequences of Beliefs

Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset

Goal? Look Smart Learn

Values effort? No

Reaction to Failure?

Consequences of Beliefs

Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset

Goal? Look Smart Learn

Values effort? No Yes

Reaction to Failure?

Fixed

mindset

Growth

mindset

Goals? Look Smart Learn

Values

effort? No Yes

Reaction to

Failure?

Effort is negative:

“To tell the truth, when I work hard to learn something it makes me feel like I’m not very smart."

Effort is positive:

“The harder you work at something, the better you’ll be at it.”

Value of Effort

Consequences of Beliefs

Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset

Goal? Look Smart Learn

Values effort? No Yes

Reaction to Failure?

Give Up

Consequences of Beliefs

Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset

Goal? Look Smart Learn

Values effort? No Yes

Reaction to Failure?

Give Up Work Harder

Helpless

“I‘d spend less time on this subject from now on.”

“I would try not to take this subject ever again.”

“I would try to cheat on the next test.”

Resilient

“I would work harder in this class from now on.”

“I would spend more time studying for the tests.”

Fixed

mindset

Growth

mindset

Goals? Look Smart Learn

Values

effort? No Yes

Reaction to

Failure? Give up Work Harder

Response to Failure

Consequences of Mindsets

Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset

Goal? Look Smart Learn

Values effort? No Yes

Reaction to Failure?

Give Up Work Harder

Achievement Lower Higher

Identifying your Mindset You have a certain amount of intelligence, and you can’t change it.

Strongly disagree Strongly agree

People who are truly talented don’t have to work hard to succeed.

Strongly disagree Strongly agree

To be honest, you can’t really change whether you are a high or low performer.

Strongly disagree Strongly agree

You can learn new things, but you can’t really change your basic level of intelligence

Strongly disagree Strongly agree

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1 2 3 4 5 6

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1 2 3 4 5 6

• The language we use tells ourselves and others what we believe and what we value

• Feedback tells us what is expected of us and what goals we should have

How Do Everyday Interactions Shape Mindsets?

Fostering a Growth Mindset

Step 1: Learn to hear/observe your “fixed” mindset voice

Step 2: Recognize that you have a choice

Step 3: Talk back to it with a “growth” mindset voice

Facilitating a Growth Mindset

Growth Mindset Praise

Don’t Focus On:

• Qualities commonly interpreted as stable, like talent or intelligence

Do Focus On:

• Effort and strategies used: “The effort you put into this project is great.”

• Abilities improving over time with practice: “Can I see how much better you are at this as a result of the practice you have put in.”

• Mistakes and being challenged as necessary part of learning: “I love mistakes because they’re an opportunity to learn – being challenged is when the brain grows most.”

Take Away Messages

• Development/performance/achievement correlate with a growth mindset

• Growth mindsets are defined by viewing ability as something that can be developed and learnt

• To foster a growth mindset in yourself you have to be listening, choosing, and replacing

• To facilitate growth mindsets you need be aware of the messages you send and growth focused in your praise

Leadership Development Centre

www.ldc.govt.nz