What Is A Growth Mindset?
In 2006, psychologist Carol Dweck introduced the concept of a growth mindset, emphasizing a person’s ability to develop skills and evolve through work and continuous learning. It is the exact opposite of a fixed mindset, where individuals think that they can’t change or upskill. In her book, Dweck offers multiple growth mindset examples and maintains that people don’t understand their full potential until they start working on their skills. Talent alone isn’t enough to help you succeed. You also need perseverance, dedication, and lifelong learning. These teachings are essential if you want to know how to be a good manager or if you are an employee building your way up.
At its core, the main characteristics of a growth mindset are the belief that no one is born with a fixed set of talents and that everyone can expand their skills if they truly want it. In fact, 80% of company executives believe that having employees with growth mindsets contributes to revenue increase.
Let’s see how you can help yourself or your team develop their skillsets and boost productivity.
In This Guide, You Will Find:
The Benefits Of Developing A Growth Mindset
One of the first things a growth mindset at work offers is a new perspective. For starters, you understand that your growth isn’t a destination but a lifelong journey. This shift in your thinking allows you to regulate your emotions, thoughts, and actions. You can judge an action before you take it, and you don’t let negative emotions drag you into the mud. As a result, your self-esteem improves. Even if you fail or your performance drops, you don’t consider yourself a “loser.” You realize that this is all part of a learning process, and you maintain the confidence that you will get better.
If you’ve tried setting up SaaS growth strategies, you know that things don’t always come easily or quickly. It’s the same with many of the growth mindset examples we’ve gathered for you later on. Life and work are filled with setbacks, struggles, stress, and change. Adopting a growth mindset helps you cope with unpleasant situations and adapt to new realities more quickly. You don’t give up after the first failed effort; instead, your perseverance helps you gather all your powers and give it another go.
Creativity And Motivation
These two are closely connected to the growth mindset, meaning people are always on the search for alternative pathways. For example, instead of accepting defeat and saying, “I can’t do this,” they try to find other ways to reach their target. So, both creativity and motivation strengthen decision making. As a result, you are pushed to innovate and bring new, untapped opportunities to the table, increasing your productivity and efficiency.
Some of the top growth mindset examples can be found in the best motivational quotes for work. One of them is the ability to build healthy professional and personal relationships. When you have a fixed mindset, you view others as competitors. For example, if they perform better than you, you see them as hurdles standing in your way. On the other hand, when you adopt a growth mindset and learning, you understand that you can learn a lot from those who are better than you. Therefore, you treat them as friends and collaborators, not enemies.
Characteristics Of People With Growth Mindsets
Welcoming challenges is one of the many product marketing manager skills necessary for success. It is also characteristic of a growth mindset, regardless of position. Instead of panicking, you should embrace new challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Mistakes and setbacks are bound to happen. Don’t treat them as a personal failure or a sign that you are not cut out for this path. You just need to find alternative ways to succeed and overcome the slump.
We mentioned earlier not treating your team members as competitors. This growth mindset example is also about giving credit where credit is due. Even if you successfully completed a project, you probably collaborated with other people to make everything work. It’s important to acknowledge their assistance and say at least a simple “thank you.” Remember that you are part of a team. While individual success is important, you want to lean on others whenever necessary.
One of the most common examples of a fixed mindset is people who always compare themselves to others. Usually, they find themselves lacking skills and abilities, which is a serious strike to their self-esteem and confidence. Therefore, they always feel discouraged from performing at the top of their abilities, as they see no point in even trying. Even when they succeed in something, they can’t allow themselves to enjoy it simply because someone else had a much bigger win. Or because a colleague is still better at another area of expertise.
On the other hand, people with a growth mindset focus only on themselves and how they can improve. They try to find areas where they lack and develop their skills. Motivational quotes for success may help you in this area.
This is a lot like another growth mindset example many people often mention, which is asking for feedback. Let’s say you are given the task of writing copy for an SEO-optimized landing page about your company’s new product. You may be an experienced writer, but not a Search Engine Optimization specialist. According to Carol Dweck’s growth mindset definition, you have to ask for help and collaborate with colleagues who have the knowledge you lack. Or you can try as much as possible on your own and then request their feedback.
10 Real-World Growth Mindset Examples To Inspire You
1. Accept Feedback And Failure
Why it matters: Because you treat every negative experience and criticism as an opportunity to learn and grow. That’s why companies should include employee feedback in their culture.
2. Add The Word “Yet” To Your Vocabulary
Why it matters: Because you acknowledge your weaknesses while leaving the door wide open for improvement. For example, you may say, “I am not very good at formal presentations…yet.”
3. Celebrate Small Wins
Why it matters: This is one of the least talked-about growth mindset examples. Sure, you may have larger goals to reach, but smaller wins are equally important. You understand that to complete the whole puzzle, you need to fill in all the gaps. So, celebrate every successful step.
4. Embrace Mentorship
Why it matters: Because you realize that to get better, you have to learn from someone wiser and more experienced. You accept that there will always be someone you can learn from.
5. Believe In Others
Why it matters: When you believe in other people’s potential and encourage them to improve, you can build strong relationships. You also boost their performance and overall company success.
6. Invest In Divergent Thinking
Why it matters: Another example of a growth mindset is someone who can think of multiple possibilities and solutions. You don’t have tunnel vision, but let your creativity flow.
7. Be Ready To Change Your Mind
Why it matters: When your mind is fixed, it means that you can’t see beyond your own beliefs. That’s why this is one of the core growth mindset examples. You are open and interested in listening to other perspectives and having your mind changed and broadened.
8. Be A Problem-Solver
Why it matters: Because you understand that a problem doesn’t have only one solution. As a result, you push yourself and others to think outside the box and innovate in order to overcome a hurdle.
9. Take Risks
Why it matters: Challenging the status quo is one of the top features of any successful professional. Nobody got to the top by staying in their comfort zones and making small, safe steps.
10. Set High Expectations
Why it matters: An accurate example of a growth mindset is someone who sets the bar high. Not because they want to be perfect or faultless, but because they always try to bring their A-game and do the best they can.
How Can You Train Yourself To Grow?
For Leaders
A leader is the one who shows the way to everyone else. Your employees are like reflections of your attributes. That’s why you should follow all growth mindset examples if you want to create a thriving team. For starters, leaders should actively engage in learning opportunities. Whether it’s taking courses, reading books, or attending seminars, it’s crucial that you show everyone that you are pursuing further development. This way, you prove that everyone has room for improvement, while you encourage others to do the same. For example, you can identify the best AI courses for everyone on your team to participate in.
The mindset growth journey also involves normalizing failure. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and encourage your team members to take calculated risks. When you are afraid of making mistakes, you are bound to avoid being innovative and stay in your comfort zone. Even if some risks don’t bring great results, you can still learn from your mistakes.
You also want to add integrity as a core value. This means owning up to your mistakes and challenges. You are not God—you might make the wrong decisions and fail. But you should be able to be honest and vulnerable about this, and remember to apologize to your team when a mistake of yours affects them too.
For Employees
Developing a growth mindset requires stepping out of your safe space and seeking new challenges. What is one thing you’ve always wanted to know? Ask if you can work on something different so you can develop your skills. Most companies offer secondments for employees to work in different departments for specific periods. Don’t be afraid to make such a request.
Feedback is part of any aspect of our lives. Even when you cook a meal for your loved ones at home, they tell you what they think. You should treat feedback as a chance to get better, not as a personal attack. So, if you are unsure about your performance on a certain project, ask a colleague or your manager for constructive feedback. Apart from comments regarding your work, they will also share knowledge that may help you perform your duties more efficiently.
Another thing you should add to your mindset growth checklist is resilience. Failure isn’t a reason to give up. Setbacks happen every day, and it’s how you treat them that matters. If your leaders also have a growth mindset, they know that a failure isn’t representative of your abilities. So, learn from your mistakes. Check what you did wrong and what you could have done better. This way, you’ll know what to avoid in the future.
8 Scenarios About How To Turn Fixed Into Growth Thinking
1. Learning Something New
Fixed: “I get so embarrassed every time I make a mistake, and everyone on my team knows about it.”
Growth: “Mistakes are normal and everyone makes them. I am glad to work among a team that can guide me through these mistakes.”
2. Self-Improvement
Fixed: “I’ll never be a good head of marketing. I’m just not good at communicating with several people at the same time.”
Growth: “Communicating clearly and in detail may not come naturally to me, but I will work tirelessly to improve. I just have to keep pushing and asking for feedback.”
3. Comparing Yourself To Others
Fixed: “Kristen is so much better than me at booking meetings with clients. I’ll just never be as good as her.”
Growth: “Kristen is amazing at her job. I have to take notes of what she does to book that many meetings and close deals.”
4. Facing Difficult Sales Situations
Fixed: “This customer has shown a little bit of interest, but they will never buy our product. I need to move on to the next prospect.”
Growth: “I need to learn more about this person and listen to their worries and challenges. Once they trust me, I will be able to get the sale.”
5. Facing Leadership Problems
Fixed: “My team will never manage this deadline. I have to be extra involved with their activities to make sure they do what they need to.”
Growth: “I need to ensure they are okay with their workload and be there for them in case they need help.”
6. Facing Marketing Setbacks
Fixed: “It’s not my fault this campaign failed. The market is way too saturated. There’s nothing we can do about this.”
Growth: “I need to check the campaign’s analytics and discuss my findings with the team to see what we could’ve done better.”
7. Facing Customer Support Issues
Fixed: “That guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Our product is great.”
Growth: “This is something we should investigate further. We have to look at other B2B customer service examples to see how other businesses handle complaints.”
8. Facing HR Problems
Fixed: “John isn’t fit for this position. It’s the second time he’s made this mistake.”
Growth: “I have to explain to him how he can avoid such mistakes and provide him with development opportunities.”
Key Takeaway
Many people with a fixed mindset truly believe that they are who they are and can’t change, no matter how much they try. Apart from mindset shift techniques, they also need to understand the concept of a growth mindset. Soft skills may take more time to develop than hard skills, but they are instrumental in our success. The growth mindset examples we shared shed a bright light on the importance of authenticity in the workplace and how leaders should carve a path of continuous learning. Resilience, creativity, innovation, confidence, and problem solving are only a few of the benefits you can enjoy if you invest in growth mindset training.
Comparing yourself to others does no good to you. It only puts you down and prepares you for even more heartbreak. Try to celebrate small wins and how far you’ve come. Teamwork in the workplace is essential, so ask others for their help when you are struggling. Their feedback will help you improve. Additionally, when you face a problem, use divergent thinking to come up with various solutions. If none of them work, it’s still okay. Take this moment to learn from your errors and keep on walking.
What is a growth mindset?
A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence.
How can I develop a growth mindset?
You can develop a growth mindset by embracing challenges, learning from mistakes, seeking feedback, staying curious, and focusing on progress over perfection.
Can a growth mindset improve my performance?
Yes, a growth mindset can improve your performance by helping you stay motivated, bounce back from setbacks, and view challenges as opportunities to grow. This mindset encourages continuous learning and effort, which leads to better skills and long-term success.
What are the differences between a growth and a fixed mindset?
A growth mindset believes abilities can improve with effort, while a fixed mindset sees them as unchangeable. People with a growth mindset embrace challenges and learn from failure, while those with a fixed mindset avoid risks and give up easily when faced with obstacles.
Can anyone develop a growth mindset?
Yes, anyone can develop a growth mindset with practice. It starts by changing how you view challenges, mistakes, and learning, seeing them as chances to grow rather than signs of failure.
