Lisa Kelliher, head of people and culture and educational consultant at Be Challenged, argues that while we influence others to think positively about their capacity for growth (be open minded about feedback, believe in the opportunity to learn new skills and to approach each day with positivity), it is likely that we aren’t fully embodying a growth mindset ourselves…
“As a learner, I recall deciding at a young age that I had no aptitude for maths. Regardless of how hard teachers tried, my lack of self-belief and fixed mindset meant no growth or learning was to be had. Unsurprisingly, I had created a self-fulfilling prophesy and at the end of schooling was, indeed, ‘no good at maths’.
The first time these beliefs were really tested came as a parent as I saw my children making similar snap so rigidly. Again unsurprisingly (and perhaps as a consequence of having unconsciously modelled my own fixed mindset) my son made the statement that he was ‘just no good at maths’.
Faced with the desire for my children to believe in their capacity to grow, I realised that I needed to do so myself.
I realised maths is like a language – and I have always enjoyed learning languages. I also realised maths is about solving puzzles, enjoying seeking solutions to problems and the application of logic. Once I realised I could approach maths in this way, it was astonishing how quickly the black curtain lifted.
This led me to reflect on how many other skills and abilities I may have written-off throughout my life. Because peeling away the layers of belief about aptitude and ability and challenging deeply held notions can act as one of the greatest catalysts for self-development for anyone, regardless of their age.
So, let’s look at how you can explore this in the workplace:
- Be prepared to examine and reflect on your own thought processes. Do you apply a fixed-mindset to aspects of your work or life?
- Choose one area from within your role on which to steadfastly focus the application of a growth mindset. Do you tend to avoid engaging in certain tasks because you believe you are ‘just no good’ at these?
- Be authentic in your discussions with colleagues about your own internal dialogue. This will help normalise conversations around the challenging of negativity and perceptions of limitations.
- Actively seek out opportunities that challenge and enable people to see their full capacity. The uplift that is felt in an organisation and culture when people are made aware of their capacity for creativity, for critical thinking and for collaboration is palpable.”
