|
What is Growth Mindset
What is a Growth Mindset 
|
A mindset is the series of beliefs people hold about themselves, their self-perception. A growth mindset is a belief that you can develop your skills and talents through hard work, the right strategies, and guidance from others.
The term growth mindset was coined by American psychologist Professor Carol Dweck in her 2006 book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Her work explored how an individual’s underlying belief about their intelligence and ability to learn could impact their performance.
Her studies show that those who believe they can develop their talents tend to achieve more than those who feel their abilities are innate and fixed. Those with a growth mindset see opportunities instead of obstacles, choosing to challenge themselves to learn more rather than sticking in their comfort zone.
|
 |
| As Professor Dweck explains it: “This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts. Although people may differ in every which way—in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests, or temperaments—everyone can change and grow through application and experience”. |
Growth mindset vs Fixed mindset!
|
The opposite of a growth mindset is a fixed mindset. While the former is focused on self-improvement and development over time, a fixed mindset is essentially the belief that abilities are innate and fixed from birth.
Those with a fixed mindset believe that each person inherits qualities such as intelligence, talents, and personality characteristics. Those who feel that their qualities are unique to their genetic makeup generally also feel that these characteristics stay stable throughout their lives.
According to Dr Dweck’s original research, those with a fixed mindset are more likely to seek opportunities to demonstrate strengths rather than those that could expose weaknesses. She goes on to say that such an approach to life can backfire. Although they take fewer risks, people with a fixed mindset can miss out on opportunities and chances to learn and grow.
|
 |
Ways to Nurture a Growth Mindset
A Culture of Practice
An important concept of having a growth mindset is realising that learning is a process and each moment is an opportunity to practise and improve. Growth occurs over time, and this is where it’s hard to have a growth mindset. We want perfection, a first class, 100%. We fall into the trap of saying, “I’m not creative. I can’t draw. I’m not good at science.” when that is NOT true! You simply haven’t practised enough.
Inherent in this culture of practice are moments of failure followed by a decision to persevere or give up. When working with NEETs this is where character development occurs. Youth (and adults too!) that learn to view failure as just another step in the learning process have achieved a growth mindset. Once you grasp that there is no limit to what they can achieve!
Shift in Vocabulary!
Cultivating a growth mindset requires a change in vocabulary to bring about a focus on the process of growth and improvement. Even responses to moments of success can be shifted.
Consider a time when you see a little child building something with Lego
When the child completed the task, you could say, “Great job, you did it! You got it right!” However, to nurture a growth mindset you would say, “Wow! You tried four different times to build that house. I noticed you didn’t give up. You kept working until you got it! Well done!”
Another example: A youngster confronts a maths problem (insert any task or skill specific to the person) that they successfully complete. Instead of solely praising their achievement, bring attention to the process. “Great work! I see the practice you put in is really paying off! I wonder what will happen if you keep practising?”
Ten ways to develop a growth mindset
- Gently redirect negative thoughts to empowering thoughts.
- Reframe mistakes as lessons.
- It’s not a problem, it’s an opportunity.
- Keep learning and growing.
- Acknowledge your accomplishments.
- Replace judgement with compassion.
- Value the attempt more than the result.
- Take baby steps.
- Leave your comfort zone.
- Have a “I don’t have (goal) YET” attitude.
Why young people need a Growth Mindset
Rationale and benefits of having Growth Mindsets
With a Growth Mindset, you are more realistic in focusing on doing the hard work. This means that the chances of you doing the hard work are much higher than when you have a Fixed Mindset. That means that you will be more successful if you have a Growth Mindset.
A Changing World – Need for New Thinking
With technology and business models changing rapidly, embracing a growth mindset is vital to career success. Workers will need to continuously learn new skills to remain competitive as automation technologies, including artificial intelligence, become more prevalent.
Entrepreneurial competencies
Entrepreneurial competencies are the knowledge, skills and attitudes that help a person start a company. These competencies encapsulate the mindset and know-how for identifying opportunities, creative problem solving, taking initiative, communicating, reflecting, adapting, and attitudes such as curiosity, open-mindedness, proactivity, flexibility, determination, and resilience. While some believe that entrepreneurs are born, there is robust evidence that such entrepreneurial competencies and “the entrepreneurial mindset” can be taught.
Summing up
Summing up
|
A growth mindset means one embraces challenges, persists in the face of setbacks, takes responsibility for their words and actions, and acknowledges that effort is the path toward mastery. It is basically the reason why “practice makes perfect."
|
 |
While having a growth mindset can be helpful for everyone in general, it is especially important for young people who are still in the early stages of their education and careers, to build the habits and attitudes that will serve as a foundation for the years ahead.
|
|
The definition of growth mindset is much simpler than it sounds. In a nutshell, it is the belief that skills and intelligence can be improved with effort and persistence. People with a growth mindset embrace challenges, stay resilient in the face of difficulties, learn from constructive criticism, and seek out inspiration in others’ success.
|
Having a growth mindset means believing that learning is a lifelong process, that success isn’t limited to our academic life, and that we can always learn something new.
|
What is Growth Mindset
Introduction: What’s this all about?
Photo by Seema Miah on Unsplash
A growth mindset, as conceived by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck and colleagues, is the belief that a person's capacities and talents can be improved over time
Growth mindset describes a way of viewing challenges and setbacks. People who have a growth mindset believe that even if they struggle with certain skills, their abilities aren’t set in stone. They think that with work, their skills can improve over time.
Task: What’s the activity?
Photo by Franciele da Silva on Unsplash
You are to undertake a short quiz, follow the link here to do the Quiz: Growth Mindset Quiz – Is Your Mindset Fixed Or Growth? (wdhb.com)
In addition, you can as a follow up answer the following two questions regarding your ability and personal qualities.
Regarding abilities:
- Your intelligence is something that you can’t change very much.
- You can learn new things, but you can’t really change how intelligent you are.
- No matter how intelligent you are, you can still change a bit.
- You can always substantially change how intelligent you are.
If you strongly agree with statements 1 and 2, you are more fixed in your thinking. Agreeing with statements 3 and 4 suggests you adopt.
Regarding personal qualities:
- You have certain personal qualities, and there is little you can do to change that.
- No matter who you are, you can always change substantially.
- You may change how you do things, but you can’t change the essential elements of who you are.
- You can always change the basic things about who you are.
Statements 1 and 3 suggest a fixed mindset, while 2 (in particular) and 4 indicate you have a growth mindset.
Process: How should I complete the task?
In order to complete this task, you will need to access this link here: Growth Mindset Quiz – Is Your Mindset Fixed Or Growth? (wdhb.com)
Once you have accessed the link, follow the instructions on your screen and complete the task. Remember this is a fun activity that you should do on your own.
Watch the Video Growth Mindset by Carol Dweck (founder of the Growth Mindset) concept, that will provide you with a visual explanation of what a growth mindset is and what it entails to develop on. That video will help you with the follow up questions, remember the follow up questions are an addition and you can complete them on your own or with a friend/colleague.
Learning outcomes: What will I learn?
|
Knowledge Acquired
(LifeComp)
|
- Understanding and managing interactions and conversations in different socio-cultural contexts and domain-specific situations
- Belief in one’s and others’ potential to continuously learn and progress
- Assessment of information and arguments to support reasoned conclusions and develop innovative solutions
|
| Skills Acquired |
- The planning, organising, monitoring, and reviewing of one’s own learning
- Reflecting on and assessing purposes, processes and outcomes of learning and knowledge construction, establishing relationships across domains
|
| Attitude Acquired |
- Developing creative ideas, synthesising and combining concepts and information from different sources in view of solving problems
- Awareness and management of emotions, thoughts, and behaviour
- Understanding and regulating personal emotions, thoughts, and behaviour, including stress responses
|
Conclusions: What will I take home?
Over the last decade, the idea of adopting a growth mindset has become commonplace. Educators, businesses, and individuals may all claim to have adopted one without fully understanding what that means.
Having a growth mindset means recognising our ability to change who we are, what we know, and how we think. Our personal qualities and abilities are not static; they remain open to change from outside and within.
For many, this may offer a significant shift in their outlook of who they are and can become. Recognising our capacity for growth and development places accountability on ourselves to take charge and develop in the direction of our choosing.
When working on ourselves, we should review the theory and try out the questions and exercises to understand which mindset you rely on. Then identify what changes you wish to make to enter the growth zone. The choice is ultimately yours, but a growth mindset may open new opportunities for you that may have previously seemed impossible.
Resources: What do I need? Ways to Nurture a Growth Mindset
Introduction: What’s this all about?
Pexels – Oleksadr-Pidvalnyi
Our minds can be our biggest assets or our biggest obstacles in life. You can cultivate beliefs that work for you and lead to your success, or they can work against you and your best interests without you even realising it.
When you believe that your potential is unlimited and that good things are always coming your way, you are practising a growth mindset.
Task: What’s the activity?
Photo by kylie De Guia on Unsplash
You have come for a job interview in a fast-paced product design company you have been set the following activities:
The Crumpled Reminder Activity – This brief exercise invites you to write down a recent setback you’ve experienced then reassess your understanding of failure.
A Cafe Discussion Task – These prompts encourage a discussion of the opportunities that arise from failure.
The Mistake Game – This exercise is designed to help young people talk about mistakes openly, helping them to embrace them and use them for learning.
Process: How should I complete the task?
Before you start the activities, it is recommended you watch the two videos and look through the document, this will give you some great insight into how to nurture a growth mindset. You can work in a small group or on your own and go through the below 25 headings in your discussions:
25 Ways to Develop a Growth Mindset
- Acknowledge and embrace imperfections - Hiding from your weaknesses means you’ll never overcome them.
- View challenges as opportunities - Having a growth mindset means relishing opportunities for self-improvement.
- Try different learning tactics - There’s no one-size-fits-all model for learning. What works for one person may not work for you.
- Follow the research on brain plasticity - The brain isn’t fixed; the mind shouldn’t be either.
- Replace the word “failing” with the word “learning” - When you make a mistake or fall short of a goal, you haven’t failed; you’ve learned.
- Stop seeking approval - When you prioritise approval over learning, you sacrifice your own potential for growth.
- Value the process over the result - Intelligent people enjoy the learning process, and don’t mind when it continues beyond an expected time frame.
- Cultivate a sense of purpose - Dweck’s research also showed that students with a growth mindset had a greater sense of purpose. Keep the big picture in mind.
- Celebrate growth with others - If you truly appreciate growth, you’ll want to share your progress with others.
- Emphasise growth over speed - Learning fast isn’t the same as learning well, and learning well sometimes requires allowing time for mistakes.
- Reward actions, not traits - Tell students when they’re doing something smart, not just being smart.
- Redefine “genius” - The myth’s been busted: genius requires hard work, not talent alone.
- Portray criticism as positive - You don’t have to used that hackneyed term, “constructive criticism” but you do have to believe in the concept.
- Disassociate improvement from failure - Stop assuming that “room for improvement” translates into failure.
- Provide regular opportunities for reflection - Let students reflect on their learning at least once a day.
- Place effort before talent - Hard work should always be rewarded before inherent skill.
- Highlight the relationship between learning and “brain training” - The brain is like a muscle that needs to be worked out, just like the body.
- Cultivate resilience - People with that extra bit of determination will be more likely to seek approval from themselves rather than others.
- Abandon the image - “Naturally smart” sounds just about as believable as “spontaneous generation.” You won’t achieve the image if you’re not ready for the work.
- Use the word “yet” - Dweck says “not yet” has become one of her favourite phrases. Whenever you are struggling with a task, just tell yourself you haven’t mastered it yet.
- Learn from other people’s mistakes - It’s not always wise to compare yourself to others, but it is important to realise that humans share the same weaknesses.
- Make a new goal for every goal accomplished - You’ll never be done learning. Growth-minded people know how to constantly create new goals to keep themselves stimulated.
- Take risks in the company of others - Stop trying to save face all the time and just let yourself goof up now and then. It will make it easier to take risks in the future.
- Think realistically about time and effort - It takes time to learn. Don’t expect to master every topic under the sun in one sitting.
- Take ownership over your attitude - Once you develop a growth mindset, own it. Acknowledge yourself as someone who possesses a growth mentality and be proud to let it guide you throughout your career.
Learning outcomes: What will I learn?
Knowledge Acquired
(LifeComp & EntreComp) |
- I can experiment with my skills and competences in situations that are new to me
- I can identify opportunities to solve problems in alternative ways.
- I can develop (alone or with others) an inspiring vision for the future that involves others.
- Awareness of potential biases in the data and one’s personal limitations, while collecting valid and reliable information and ideas from diverse and reputable sources
|
| Skills Acquired |
- I can initiate simple value-creating activities
- I can prioritise the basic steps in a value-creating activity.
- I can develop a business model for my idea.
- Awareness of and confidence in one's own and others’ abilities to learn, improve and achieve with work and dedication
|
| Attitude Acquired |
- I can describe my skills and competences relating to career options, including self-employment
- I can describe my goals for the future in line with my strengths, ambitions, interests and achievements
- I can create an action plan which identifies the necessary steps to achieve my goals
- Understanding that learning is a lifelong process that requires openness, curiosity, and determination
|
Conclusions: What will I take home?
So, can you develop a growth mindset? If you tried one of the activities, we suggested you will see you become more resilient when dealing with problems.
Research suggests that with the right attitude, we can improve the way we deal with life’s difficulties.
Resources: What do I need? Why Young People Need Growth Mindsets
Introduction: What’s this all about?
Photo by Polina Zimmerman: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sticky-notes-on-board-3782235/
Having a growth mindset can have real benefits. It helps people reframe their approach to challenges and stay motivated to work to improve skills. Instead of thinking “I can’t do this,” they think “I can’t do it yet.”
Task: What’s the activity?
Photo by Kaboompics .com: https://www.pexels.com/photo/think-outside-of-the-box-6375/
Having a growth mindset means believing that learning is a lifelong process, that success isn’t limited to our academic life, and that we can always learn something new. However, if you’re constantly second-guessing yourself and you’re already convinced that you can never grow any further in your career or personal life, then you need to understand why it’s essential to have a growth mindset.
You have come for an interview in a fast-paced product development company, and you are asked “why is it important to have a growth mindset?” You are required to do a 15 minute presentation either on Powerpoint or use flipchart.
Process: How should I complete the task?
To do your 15 minutes presentation first you will need to:
- Step 1- explain what Growth Mindset is, activity 1 in this module will provide you with some valuable insight (3 mins)
- Step 2 - look at activity 2 in this module that provides details on how to develop growth mindset; summarise this in your presentation (2 mins)
- Step 3 - spend the remaining time in your presentation in explaining why it is important to have a growth mindset (10 mins)
You are recommended to look through some of the below links which provides great tips on why growth mindset is important:
Learning outcomes: What will I learn?
|
Knowledge Acquired
(EntrComp)
|
- I can combine different contributions to create value
- I can explain what makes an opportunity to create value
- I can judge my strengths and weaknesses and those of others in relation to opportunities for creating value
|
| Skills Acquired |
- I can work with a range of individuals and teams
- I can critically evaluate the risks associated with an idea that creates value, taking into account a variety of factors
- I can discuss the need for investing time in different value-creating activities
|
| Attitude Acquired |
- I can set challenges to motivate myself
- I actively face challenges, solve problems and seize opportunities to create value
- I can tell the difference between acceptable and unacceptable risks
- Reflecting on other people’s feedback as well as on successful and unsuccessful experiences to continue developing one’s potential
|
Conclusions: What will I take home?
Having a growth mindset can be highly beneficial for individuals, organisations, and communities.
As you learned above, there are many reasons why it is important to have a growth mindset. The first reason is that this mindset allows you to take calculated risks and make changes – giving you more confidence in your decisions and actions so that you never have to worry about your past mistakes holding you back.
Second, a growth mindset helps you to improve all areas of your life. It allows you to become a better student, a better parent, a better employee, and even a better citizen.
The final reason why having a growth mindset is essential is because it helps you to realise your full potential and live a happier and more fulfilling life. With a growth mentality, you’ll be able to see your weaknesses as strengths and use them as a stepping stone toward your goals!
|
+ 34 951 16 49 00
