Growth Mindset - Part 1
Growth Mindset is a term that I have been hearing a lot from school in relation to positive behaviour management. If a child for example is having difficulty following the rules, completing work, or attending school the response can be to focus in on their ‘attitude’ and ‘resilience’. Growth mindset is a term that sums up attitude and resilience. If you believe your talents and opportunities can be developed through ‘hard’ work, constructive criticism, and strategic planning then you are deemed to have a growth mindset. A fixed mindset in contrast suggests that performance is based on more innate or intrinsic factors. This may look like someone not trying to learn a new skill or not wanting to take on a new challenge. However, growth mindset is a simple term to explain a complex concept. Why? Because it fails to consider the interplay of environment on individual differences.
Growth mindset was originally coined to describe how an individual views talent (Carol S. Dweck). Further research is beginning to look at growth mindset on a much larger scale. That is taking into consideration the complexity of human behaviour in light of environmental factors. In short, are there contributing factors to a ‘growth mindset’. Dweck and colleagues have further investigated if the same concept as individual growth mindset can also be true for organisations. What they found was very interesting. Employees at companies of a ‘fixed mindset’ reported less commitment stating that the company did not have their back. They worried about failing and so pursued fewer innovative projects. They reported to keep secrets, cut corners, and cheat to get ahead. Employees at companies with a ‘growth mindset’ were more likely to be described as innovative, collaborative, and committed. This demonstrates that an individual’s capacity for growth may be nurtured, that mindset is not ‘fixed’ but likely is impacted by a multitude of variables sometimes outsider of an individuals control.
Here are a few take home points about growth mindset:
Growth mindset is not fixed, it waxes and wanes throughout our lives. Basically we all go through periods of growth and fixed mindset.
Praising and rewarding efforts does not create a growth mind set. Embracing diversity in learning and focussing on processes over outcomes better serves a growth mindset.
Collaboration over competition prioritises a growth mindset
Growth mindset requires commitment at an organisational level and is not the sole responsibility of a single individual.
In the context of a school setting what might this mean? If growth mindset could actually be nurtured in an individual where does the responsibility for growth mindset actually come from?
Follow my next blog where I address learning as a shared responsibility and that teachers mindset matters too.
