Dive Brief:
- Almost 9 in 10 of executives agree that a growth mindset is important for organizational success, according to an Oct. 8 report from TalentLMS.
- Yet there’s a disconnect between what execs believe and how they’re perceived: 96% of the 300 U.S. senior leaders and execs surveyed said they have a growth mindset, and 90% believe that leading by example is key to creating a growth mindset culture. By contrast, 54% of the 1,000 U.S. non-executives surveyed don’t see much evidence of this, and 24% of those said their company leaders rarely or never demonstrated a growth mindset.
- “This isn’t about individual development — it’s about creating a culture where curiosity thrives, where failure is seen as a stepping stone, and where every challenge is an opportunity to learn,” Nikhil Arora, CEO of TalentLMS’s parent company Epignosis, noted in the report.
Dive Insight:
Growth mindset is really about “attitude, not aptitude,” TalentLMS emphasized.
That is, growth mindset is “a belief that people can develop their intelligence, abilities, and talents over time through effort and practice,” the learning management platform explained.
With this mindset, individuals can improve their performance and overcome setbacks by calling on specific traits — including continuous learning, resilience, persistence, a positive outlook and open-mindedness — to break down complex challenges into achievable steps, TalentLMS pointed out.
A number of tactics may be used to develop or strengthen growth mindset initiatives, the platform said.
Leaders should start by addressing the disconnect between their beliefs and their behaviors, and they can do this by setting personal growth goals, sharing these goals publicly and holding regular check-ins with their teams to discuss their progress, it said.
There’s also second disconnect that needs to be address: 59% of employees think AI-powered tools can help them develop new skills, but less than a third have access to such tools, the survey found.
TalentLMS recommended that companies pilot AI-powered tools in high-impact areas or in areas where upskilling is a priority and then gather ROI data to produce a business case for future investment.
A third challenge? More than 4 in 10 employees think growth mindset is an excuse to assign them more responsibility without adequate compensation, according to the findings.
To help debunk the myth, leaders can hold workshops and training sessions; be clear and transparent about pathways for development, promotions and advancement; and link growth opportunities and achievements to tangible benefits, rewards and incentives, the report said.
On the talent acquisition side, the platform suggests hiring employees who demonstrate ambition, regardless of their role or level of responsibility.
Today’s constantly evolving workplaces make it critical for business to nurture a growth mindset culture, TalentLMS said.
Employees seemingly agree. Nearly half of those in a growth mindset company said the commitment fosters innovation; 65% said a growth mindset culture supports risk taking; and 47% said it makes colleagues more trustworthy.
Training professionals are also on board; 62% said they believe that a growth mindset is the critical driver of innovation in L&D, the survey showed.
That leads to another upside: lower turnover. With a growth mindset culture, instead of looking elsewhere for new skills, existing talent is nurtured and developed, “employees feel engaged, invested in, and equipped with the right skills to perform well in their roles,” the report said.
Without it, 52% of the employees surveyed said they would leave for a company that offers continuous learning and development opportunities — a key aspect of a growth mindset culture.
Recent research by learning technology company D2L supports this. More than 9 in 10 of the L&D leaders D2L surveyed said effective training and development programs improve retention, which as been identified as one HR’s most concerning challenges.
Leaders are taking stock. According to a 2023 survey by advisory firm Heidrick & Struggles, more CEOs recognize that improving culture helps the bottom line. Nearly all of those who responded to the survey noted that strategically focusing on employee mindset and behavior made a positive difference, including in retaining employees.