Episode 140: Carol Dweck – The Power Of A Growth Mindset

Dr. Carol Dweck’s work is the foundation for what it means to be a learning leader. To be in a constant state of improvement… “In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that’s that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.”

Mindset is a simple idea discovered by world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck in decades of research on achievement and success—a simple idea that makes all the difference. Teaching a growth mindset creates motivation and productivity in the worlds of business, education, and sports.

Episode 140: Carol Dweck – The Power Of A Growth Mindset

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The Learning Leader Show

“Growth mindset leaders want to be challenged.”

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Focusing on growth — having a desire for a challenge and learning from setbacks leads to sustained excellence
  • People with a fixed mindset are afraid to find out that they aren’t very smart
  • Growth mindset leaders want to be challenged
  • Fixed mindset leaders have a deep seated insecurity. They have to keep showing that they’re a genius.
  • Don’t declare that you have a growth mindset — Instead figure out what triggers you into having a fixed mindset. Start there.
  • Questions to ask people in an interview to understand their mindset
  • Sharing credit or taking it all for yourself? It shows a lot about your mindset
  • When was the last time you were wrong? (It should be often)
  • “Don’t praise the intelligence. Praise the process.”
  • Do NOT reward children for getting straight A’s
  • Taking the stairs — Develop Grit
  • Be aware that doing something the hard way will benefit you (and your children)
  • “I want your listeners to do something way outside of their comfort zone…”
  • Why as a young manager you need to focus on collaboration — Ask others for help
  • Learning Leader = “I loved it. Merging of Learning and Leadership. Helping others learn. Serving them.

“I have always been deeply moved by outstanding achievement and saddened by wasted potential.”

Continue Learning:

You may also like these episodes:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 082: Dan Pink – The Science of Motivation, Legendary Writer & Ted Talk

Episode 086: Seth Godin – How To Become Indispensable & Build Your Tribe

Episode 107: Simon Sinek – Leadership: It Starts With Why

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If you enjoyed hearing Carol Dweck on the show, please don’t hesitate to send me a note on Twitter or email me.

Episode edited by the great J Scott Donnell

Bio From MindsetOnline.com

Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., is one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of motivation and is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. Her research has focused on why people succeed and how to foster success. She has held professorships at Columbia and Harvard Universities, has lectured all over the world, and has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Her scholarly book Self-Theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality, and Development was named Book of the Year by the World Education Federation. Her work has been featured in such publications as The New Yorker, Time, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe, and she has appeared on Today and 20/20.