Using change to learn

Start developing your growth mindset today

Are you not yet familiar with Carol Dweck’s theory of fixed and growth mindset?
In this Google Talk she gives a practical explanation in 3 minutes: Carol Dweck on “Developing a Growth Mindset Culture in Organizations” | Talks at Google – YouTube

We live in a world where change sometimes seems to be the only constant, also in work. How do you deal with all that change? Do you like to learn and try new things or do you find that it costs you a lot of energy and takes you out of your comfort zone?
If the latter is the case, then there is a good chance that you have a fixed mindset . There is nothing wrong with that, but change costs you a lot of energy. Moreover, it stands in the way of your own development, while that development is of great importance to remain relevant in your work. With a growth mindset you accelerate your development when you are faced with challenges. With the following tips you use change, both with a fixed mindset and with a growth mindset, even more consciously to develop yourself.

1. See your opportunity in the challenge

Only if you dare to admit that something is new to you or that you find something difficult, you create an opportunity for yourself to learn. Think about what you find difficult and imagine how beautiful it is to get better at it. Make the link to what you are already good at: how do you become even better at your work if you learn this? By seeing your learning opportunities in challenges, you give yourself the opportunity to develop new skills.

2. Start with the hardest part

People with a fixed mindset tend to choose the path of least resistance. They start with the easiest while people with a growth mindset focus on the hardest part. They see the big picture and the end goal and do not get discouraged if things go wrong or do not work out immediately. If you notice that you start out of habit with the easiest tasks of a new job, turn that around. Sink your teeth into the hardest part and dare to rely on your talents.

3. Create your own learning moments

You will just see: if you want to develop your growth mindset , there are only tasks in your agenda that you do on a routine basis. Or you can see a change coming, but it is not there today. You don’t have to wait for the challenges to come your way, you can also look them up yourself. Take on a different kind of task, help a colleague in a different position or ask for work that you expect to be relevant to you in the future and start learning.

4. Learn from feedback

Do you work in an environment where colleagues easily give each other constructive feedback? Then make use of this by translating the feedback you receive into tips for yourself. Do not take it personally, but see it as tips for your learning process. Don’t be discouraged if you still have a lot to learn, but get out of it what is valuable to you now. And: make choices. It is your learning process and you choose which feedback you want to work with now. Is there no feedback culture in your workplace yet? Ask for feedback from colleagues from whom you want to learn something.

5. Stroll with your guts to learn

Developing yourself is great, but sometimes also very exciting. For example, if you feel that colleagues appreciate and respect you because you always have an answer. Throw off the yoke of expectations and tell your colleagues that you also like to be relevant in the future and therefore like to learn from new tasks or situations, no matter how exciting you sometimes find that.

To help employees grow, the organization also needs a growth mindset . What about your team or organization? You can see this well, for example, by looking at the talents from whom the organization expects a lot. Do they also move on to higher (leadership) positions or is it always difficult to find suitable people while there are enough candidates? Do you want to know how we help you, your colleagues or your organization to develop a growth mindset? Please contact Sigrid: s.stavenuiter@moovs.nl.