[ad_1]
While earning her doctorate in social psychology at Stanford, Murphy worked with Carol Dweck, a Stanford psychology professor best known for her research on fixed and growth mindsets.
“With a fixed mindset, you either have something or you don’t,” Murphy says. “A growth mindset is about potential, and how we can grow, develop and change over time. An employee who can’t be fired is someone who knows their mindset and their motivators. They will always shift themselves towards their growth mindset.
One of the biggest misconceptions about mindset is the idea that it is specific. In fact, mindset exists on a continuum, explains Murphy, who is currently a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Indiana University. “What moves us along the chain?” she asks. “The answer is mental stimulants.”
Murphy says there are four common and predictable situations that can trigger your mindset. By understanding what drives you toward a fixed mindset, you can create an environment that redirects you toward growth.
1. Evaluative attitudes
The first trigger is when you know that you are being judged by someone. For example, you might be writing or delivering a presentation to a client. “I know others will make decisions based on my performance,” Murphy says.
Sometimes this trigger pushes people into a fixed mindset, making them think: “I have to show how smart I am. I have to make this bulletproof.” I won’t leave too much “question time” at the end of the presentation, because I don’t want to People actually challenge or find the fatal flaw in what I offer,” explains Murphy.
“For other people, the same evaluative position can move them into their growth mindset,” she says. “They think of it as a learning opportunity. They may leave a lot of time for questions and answers to make sure they get as much feedback as possible to make it better and stronger.”
2. High voltage situations
The second trigger is a situation in which you are given an extended task or a new area to master that will require more effort than anything you have done before.
“Sometimes that pushes people into a fixed mindset,” Murphy says. “If I have to try my best, then I’m not naturally good at it. Other people may think that the way to get better is to put in the effort, and they move into their own growth mindset.”
Knowing whether you lean toward a fixed mindset or a growth mindset in this situation will help you understand whether you approach high-effort situations as a threat or as a challenge you want to take on.
3. Critical feedback
The way you receive critical feedback is the third catalyst for a fixed or growth mindset. For example, some people shift into a fixed mindset when they hear negative feedback and feel as if they have failed. But criticism can also move you toward a growth mindset.
“The reviews say: ‘This is where we saw some potential for growth and development.’ ‘You’re not where you want to be yet, but let’s figure out ways to get there,’” says Murphy.
4. The success of others
Our own praise practices can spark another person’s mindset. If someone on your team does something good, and you simply say, for example, good job, you haven’t provided enough information about the practices they should replicate, says Murphy.
Your comments can also influence anyone who hears you deliver them, especially if they think that person deserves praise.
“They might say, ‘Well, I’ll never be as good as this person,’ and they move into their fixed mindset,” Murphy says. “But if you identify the strategies they used to achieve that success, it could motivate others toward a growth mindset.”
Know your triggers
Knowing your triggers gives you the power to change the mindset associated with them. If you know that a high-effort situation is one of my fixed mindset triggers, for example, you can catch yourself when you start thinking, “That’s not my strength.”
Murphy recommends reminding yourself that you have a support system and that you are not alone in it. You can communicate with others by saying, “To focus on mastering this new task, I will need resources and energy. I wonder if you could help me with X, Y and Z. “You share that you are moving toward a growth mindset and showing a lot of self-awareness.”
Staying in a fixed mindset can make you feel like you could be fired at any moment. You become more risk averse and less likely to ask for extended assignments. You’re also less likely to admit mistakes, which costs you learning opportunities for yourself and your team. However, moving from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset helps you become less expendable. (And if you get laid off, you can transfer these skills to a new role.)
“When you feel unapproachable, you feel more innovative,” Murphy says. “You can take risks and be more creative, which will inspire more growth and development for you and the organization. It also gives you the confidence to explore directions you might not have explored otherwise. You will always grow, develop and improve.”
[ad_2]
Source link
