One of the catchphrases that has been circulating around schools recently has been ‘growth mindset’ – so what is growth mindset and how can it be utilised in the business space?

Growth mindset is a term that is used to describe research by Dr Carol Dweck and her colleagues that focused on students’ attitudes about failure. Noting that while some students rebounded after experiencing failure, others gave up after having minor setbacks. Dr Dweck coined the terms fixed mindset and growth mindset to define the underlying beliefs people have about learning and intelligence. Individuals with a growth mindset understand that effort makes them stronger. If they put in time and effort, that leads to higher achievement. Individuals who have a fixed mindset see failure as a reason to give up.

What are the benefits for your team in adopting a growth mindset?

In a work situation, growth mindset can help teams push through challenging projects or look at alternative ways of finding solutions. In environments where success is achieved after a long and arduous series of stages of a project, a team with a growth mindset will be in a stronger position than a team who view challenges as setbacks. Generally speaking, individuals who have a growth mindset are more likely to have increased positivity and happiness because they are not limited by their inability to accomplish tasks. In fact, happiness at work can be directly linked to feelings of empowerment, which is defined as being the ability to affect change, which is a key component of the growth mindset.  If an employee feels powerless, or a victim of the system, a cog in the wheel, they are more likely to be unhappy, than if they are heard in the workplace and feel empowered to affect change.

An article by newtohr.com portrays the benefits of happiness at work for both the individual and the business:

• 12% increased productivity
• 10 times few sick days than unhappy employees
• 57% of workers have increased happiness at work if they work with close friends
• 20% more satisfied if employees see their job as a ‘career’.

Additionally, it’s been found that happiness inspires creativity in the workplace – lending itself to more innovative thinking. Happy employees are more likely to feel comfortable taking risks and trying new strategies. Happy employees support each other, and happiness often has a contagious effect – increasing the amount of happy people within a workplace. For more information on how to build a team with a growth mindset, speak to the HR Consulting team at Flexi Personnel.