Fixed v Growth Mindset

This week I listened to a fascinating lecture by Dr David Rock from the Neuro Leadership Group.  In relation to performance management, he talked about the importance of organizations moving from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. Let me explain!

A fixed mindset in one in which we believe we are born smart (or not) and that we have a certain amount of talent.  Therefore we cannot change or improve and any additional effort makes no difference.  Feedback is not helpful and there is no need to pay attention to what you can do better. 

A growth mindset, on the other hand, is where we believe we are born to learn and that we can change.  Therefore effort is central, feedback is helpful and stretching goals are a good thing.

Research has shown that 90% of performance management systems are a failure.  Dr David Rock believes this is because our current performance management systems prime people for a fixed mindset.  They are backward looking and the emphasis is on rating and ranking people, telling them they are a certain way.

We need a change in philosophy, to that of a growth mindset, with an emphasis on learning and growing.  It is foundational that we have the right mindset for performance.  One that moves from ranking to co-developing areas for growth.  Does your organization remind people that they can grow and that change is possible?  Do you recognize and celebrate how change has occurred in the past?

Dr Rock believes we should move from performance ratings to a coaching conversation, which is based on a growth mindset.  A quality coaching conversation involves people changing habits.  But the active ingredient in a quality conversation is insights.  Insights matter significantly!  When insights are gained, learning is easily recalled, engagement is created, and new insights stick to the brain.  Learning to have a conversation to get people to see things for themselves, creates insights, which result in action, and the development of new habits.

A growth mindset thinks in terms of a continuum, a journey, rather than a ranking.  Rather than thinking in terms of evaluations, lets think in terms of growth.  Think about how you could use these growth mindset questions in your organization this week.

How have you grown in this area?

How are you looking to grow further?

How can we help?

Question to Ponder:- Do you have a fixed or growth mindset?  What is the mindset within your organization?  What could you do to move to a growth mindset?

Effective Learning

Repeated research has shown, and confirmed, that when people learn by being 'told', they can recall 70% of the information after 3 weeks, but only 10% after 3 months.

When people are 'told' and 'shown' they can recall 72% after 3 weeks and 32% after 3 months.

Training that involves 'telling', 'showing' and 'experiencing' has an 85% recall after 3 weeks and a significantly increased 65% after 3 months.

The results speak for themselves!  When people are actively involved in the learning process their retention, and therefore effectiveness, is significantly greater. Effective adult education and learning includes interaction and participation. This requires a radical shift in how we plan and conduct our training programs. To achieve an effective return on the time and money invested, training within our organizations needs to include telling, showing and experiencing.

Question to Ponder:- How effective, 3 months down the track, is the training your organization is investing in people?

What You Create & What You Allow

'Ultimately leadership is about turning a vision into reality; it's about producing real results in the real world.  And that is only done through people doing what it takes to make it happen'... writes Henry Cloud in Boundaries for Leaders.   A great plan needs people to make it work, and leaders need to be able to invest time and energy into people in order to get results and create thriving teams.

Cloud suggests that 'when leaders lead in ways that people's brains can follow, good results follow as well.'  He states that two essential components of leading people relate to the boundaries of 'what you create' and 'what you allow'.  As leaders we create direction, vision, goals and strategy, which help establish healthy guidelines and clarity for people work within.  People work better when they understand the parameters and focus.

For me personally, the concept of 'what we allow' in relation to leading people has been a helpful and very timely reminder.  It is an obvious concept when it comes to children and parenting.  For example, no we don't allow tantrums when little Johnny doesn't get his own way.  Yet in the workplace we allow negative behavior to take place, that goes against our stated values, without addressing it.  If our organization has a certain culture or negative behavior we don't like, it is because we as leaders have allowed it to develop without dealing with the related issues. 

It is very empowering to be reminded that as a leader we get what we create and allow.  We don't need to allow behavior, or a culture, that is destructive or goes against what is important to us, our team, or our organizations values.

Question to Ponder - What kind of team or organizational culture have you created or allowed?  What needs to be different?

The Imperative Task of Leadership

'Leaders help people to grow into their full God-given potential.  The imperative task of leadership is facilitating the growth of others'... a quote I read recently in Leading Across Cultures by James Pluddemann.

He goes onto say that the most basic task of leaders is to develop people for God's glory, focusing the gifts of others.  Successful leaders enhance the gifts of people by involving them in the work.

While he talks much about the theory of leadership, strategy, vision and cross cultural styles of leadership, he comes back to the core - people and their development.

How easy it is to get caught up in tasks, strategy, meetings, schedules and other important aspects of running an organization, and to overlook what it takes to develop people.  It takes time, resources and intentionality!  It means believing in people, seeing their potential, walking alongside, taking risks and giving others opportunities to grow and develop.

If facilitating the growth of people is the criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of leaders, how well are you and I doing?

Generating Feedback

In coaching we often ask three simple questions to help a person think through an event, project or situation, to generate their own feedback.

What did you do well?

What could you improve on?

How would you do that differently next time?

Asking these three questions, interspersed by "What else?" or "What other thoughts come to mind?" is a powerful way of debriefing a situation and generating feedback.  Our human nature is often quick to see what went wrong and to minimize the many positive things that happened.  It is so helpful to start with the positive and recognize what did go well.

After thinking through what could be improved on, we are in a good position to consider practical steps for doing things differently or better in the future.  By asking these questions and actively listening, you will be surprised by how much important feedback can be generated from within a person.  Feedback doesn't always need to come from others.  And if you are a supervisor or manager, generating feedback from your staff will save you many potentially uncomfortable conversations where you feel the need to give feedback.  Now instead of giving it, you can draw it out!

This week in your home or work, take time to ask a colleague or your teenager these simple but powerful questions.  You will be amazed at how helpful this can be in generating great feedback from within.

Feed Forward!

Feed forward seems less scary and more positive than feedback. The idea of feed forward was introduced to me by Marshall Goldsmith in his book 'What got you here won't get you there'.  I like that it is future looking and practical.

In summary there are 4 simple steps to feed forward:-

1. Pick the behavior you would like to change,
2. Describe this objective in conversation with anyone you meet,
3. Ask that person for two suggestions that might help you achieve positive change in your selected behavior,
4. Listen attentively to their suggestions and reply only with a 'thank you'. (Do not add ' but' or 'however'!)

Feed Forward - Ask for ideas, listen, say thank you!

Maybe your behavior change is to become a better listener.  You may ask, "would you suggest two ideas that I can implement in the future to help me become a better listener?"

Perhaps you would like to become better at leading team meetings.  You might ask, "would you suggest two ideas that I can implement to help me better lead meetings?"

Feed forward focuses on solutions rather than problems, it is forward looking rather than focusing on the past, it helps you to gather ideas for future change.

There still maybe a disconnect between knowing what to do and changing, but feed forward shows others that you are serious about wanting to grow.  With your support team of coaches and mentors, you are in a strong position to implement your feed forward ideas.

Question to Ponder:- What behavior would you like to change that would make a significant positive difference in your life? 

Why not give feed forward a try!