What Having a “Growth

Mindset” Actually Means

Carol Dweck
Types of Mindset

 Growing Mindset  Fixed Mindset

 Talents can be developed (through hard  those who believe their talents are
work, good strategies, and input from innate gifts
others)
 Tend to achieve more
 If a company supports fixed mindset:
 Worry less about looking smart
 report more of only one thing: cheating
 Put more energy into learning and deception among employees,
presumably to gain an advantage in the
talent race.
 If a company supports growth
mindset:
 their employees report feeling far more
empowered and committed; they also
receive far greater organizational
support for collaboration and
innovation.
Growth Mindset Common Misconceptions

 I already have it, and I always have

 Growth mindset is often confused with flexible or open-minded or with having a positive
outlook (false growth mindset). No one has purely growth mindset but mixture of growth and
fixed. This mixture continually evolves with experience.

 A growth mindset is just about praising and rewarding effort

 Outcome matters in this stage. Not only effort(unproductive effort is useless) but also learning
and process (e.g seeking help from others, trying new ways etc.) should be rewarded.

 Just espouse a growth mindset, and good things will happen

 If growth mindset isn’t implemented in company policies, it is not possible for employees to
make a real progress.
 Learning should be reward even if the Project goals are not met.
 Company needs to support collaboration rather than competition.
Growth Mindset Common Misconceptions

 Even if we overcome these misconceptions, we still have fixed mindset triggers surrounding us.
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 (personal or work life)
 To remain in growth zone, we must identify triggers and work with them. It’s hard work both
individuals and organizations can gain a lot by deepening their understanding of growth-mindset
concepts and the processes for putting them into practice.