We might be "loving" the fixed mindset because it feeds our ego and our need for validation and keeping control.
Or we are on our way to change to a growth mindset because we got stucked and realised that humblness and the "WE" might help us grow and get more satisfaction through collaboration, feedback, empowering, sharing and helping others. Strange, but there must be something similar in the Bible as well.
The questionnaire below should help you understand in which mindset you, your colleagues and your managers might be. Depending on each case it should support you in having more understanding for the persons you interact with and act properly, be more rational, leave that environment if toxic for you or change your mindset.
If most of the following questions are answered with YES then your boss or colleagues or you might be in a fixed mindset. If you observe that people avoid you, they reflect serious topics, but do not speak-up about them, you frequently land in conflicts, people leave your department or the company - it could be a signal to start an introspection. The good thing is that through coaching, training, and mentorship you can learn to move from a fixed to a growth mindset. Let’s start it:
Do you believe some people are superior and some are inferior? And do you must affirm constantly that your are superior? Or maybe you observe such attitude at various persons you work with?
Are you (they) concerned with your (their) reputation for personal greatness?
Do you have a dominant and unsated ego?
Do you (they) spend much time grooming your fame?
Do you believe that great geniuses do not need great teams but only little helpers to carry out your brilliant ideas?
Do you want to be the only big fish so that when you compare yourself with others you can feel a cut above the rest?
Do you (they) refuse to look at your (their) deficiencies?
Do you use to blame others, and find excuses for everything has went wrong?
Do you find it hard to excuse yourself and prefer to rapidly change subject when you are wrong?
Do you use your brainpower to intimidate others instead of teaching them?
When you get feedback from others do you feel it like criticism?
Instead of learning, growing, moving the company forward are you worried about being judged, you seek pretexts to limit innovation, creativity, experiments?
Are you focused on your power more than on your employees’ well-being?
Do you use to hold back high-performing employees because they threaten you?
The place you work or the team you manage is designed to promote group thinking?
Is it hard for you to hear constructive feedback from new joiners or employees having lower ranking?
Do you interrupt your colleagues, partners, employees when they have opposite opinions or bring arguments?
If YES prevails in your answers above and you would like to change direction let’s see now what the alternative would be for you and how the growth mindset works like:
Profit more on the feedback you get. Seek the constructive feedback from serios people and listen to it with two ears (we have 2 ears and only one mouth, not the other way around).
Do not seek always the positive feedback, but listen to it with only one ear and be grateful. Remember too much positive feedback feeds your ego and connects you with the past.
Think about how to root elitism and create a culture of self-examination, open communication, and teamwork.
The higher your rank gets the higher your humbleness must be. We need humbleness anyway no matter rank or hierarchy.
The readiness to grow, to listen, to ask feedback should be your favorite tools.
You agree that "collaboration and WE" suppress "elitism and I".
You like and feel responsible for empowering people.
You bring a positive vibe in your teams and foster innovation, creativity, and experimentation.
You are not guru but openly admit you can be wrong, seek to learn from others no matter rank or source.
A growth mindset person or leader promotes a culture of failure, foster continuous learning and is a genuine person.
People, colleagues, employee are not all the same. Do not judge them with the same standard matrix based on their position, studies, your preferences. Be objective & flexible.
You should always understand the context and make decisions accordingly. Your tools/theories/experience should be used based on the context but not on precedent.
The age of "human resources" sets - the age of humanity rises. Do not treat people as resources anymore.
Instead of aging in a secured & comfortable positon doing "almost nothing", leave the comfort zone, just leave, make yoursel useful and find the scope of your life.
Keep your word no matter what.
Inspired by Mindset - Carol Dweck