There are many benefits of a growth mindset in leadership. First, you have to view challenges as opportunities for learning and growth instead of seeing them as threats. That has always been the hardest thing for me to do….not facing challenges head on. In leadership, I have found you have to be committed to ongoing learning, both for myself and for my team. Resilience is a must in a leadership position. You can’t take failures or past mistakes personally. They will or should become learning experiences! Flexibility and adapting to changing circumstances are also a much-needed addition to leadership skills. I can see the need for feedback now. It’s needed for reinforcement and positivity. It doesn’t have to be dreaded as if it’s always a bad thing. Honest feedback is to improve leadership skills and help build confidence. Everyone has the potential for growth and new development.
Leaders with a growth mindset are more likely to consider diverse perspectives, which helps make well informed decisions. The growth mindset encourages creativity and innovation within teams. Open communication with constructive feedback, creates an atmosphere conductive to learning. Setting realistic goals, providing resources for development and encouraging continuous reflection, all contribute to an environment where a growth mindset thrives as it grows!
To defeat unhealthy mindsets, you must cultivate your own growth mindset.
- A fixed mindset is unwilling to move or change.
- A growth mindset is flexible and adaptable.
A growth mindset says “I can get better” and there is no “fixation on now, because this type of mindset is perceived as always in a state of becoming.” It’s about getting better, moving on, using steppingstones to go wherever or whatever is next!
As a leader, I am learning you can not grow leaders. A healthy culture with a healthy growth mindset is what makes the difference. I’ve learned that momentum is wonderful at work, but the lack of it can kill any program or project before it is even up and running.
The benefits of developing a growth mindset are very clear, but I am still contemplating the best way to implement this in my workplace with my team. I don’t want to be presumptuous and possibly overstep any boundaries. I do want to be helpful and show that setting realistic, yet challenging goals that push us out of our comfort zone are readily available. I have two, new, fairly young and inexperienced employees in my department that still have much to learn in their daily job duties, but I hope to encourage them and show that accountability will encourage a sense of connection and purpose.
I will stress the importance of building trust and the fact all voices will be heard. I want them to know having a fixed mindset often sets employees up for failure because they think they WILL fail. A fixed mindset tends to make people will fear they will look like a failure and shy away from challenges or learning opportunities. Growth mindset people tend to capitalize on learning opportunities and any chance to improve. My employer is known for its’ quality and dedication to saving lives all around the world. I want my team and those I interact with to understand that initiative, innovation and efficient problem solving are encouraged. I want to make a positive impact and contribute to my workplace in the best way I can. I will begin with a growth mindset, and this will be the opening of many new doors for me and my team.
I also want to stress the importance of good leadership with my team. Integrity, compassion, determination and honesty are only a few o the qualities I want to share. In my daily life, I tend to be positive, and I consider myself a good person in general. I am all about jumping in to help when and wherever I’m needed. I know in every workplace there are decisions to be made, problems to be solved and resources to be utilized and I hope to accomplish these things with my growth mindset. I hope to embrace challenges, remaining positive along the way. For my new employees I want them to know we won’t give up on them, but they can attend in additional training and keep practicing until they improve. My goal is to bring a proactive approach that fosters a broader perspective. I don’t want to be limited by so called job descriptions. There is so much more out there for everyone, including me. I will continue to learn, adapt and evolve.
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