A growth mindset has become a very trending concept for leaders and organizations in the medical field.
Psychologist, Carol Dweck defines mindset as “self-perception or self-theory that people hold about themselves.” If an individual has a “growth mindset,” they put more energy towards growing their natural talents and intellect.
Carol Dweck, What Having a “Growth Mindset” Actually Means, Harvard Business Review.
Perception is very hard to shift in others, and even harder for ourselves. Shifting one’s mindset involves continuous behavioral acts to form desired habits. Let’s explore 3 simple ways you can apply this concept in a holistic and lasting application as a healthcare leader.
- Carve out time and be intentional about learning. Your sector, field, role, and life in general is changing at a faster pace than ever. This investment is a key activity and behavior to continue adding to what makes you great. With the endless access to asynchronous learning content, it’s important to be intentional with your time. If you don’t learn, you don’t grow. If you don’t grow, your mindset and path to success is at risk of becoming stagnate.
- Success is a balance of skills & hard work- know when to work harder and smarter. Growth mindset means being aware that talent and intellect are a starting point. Developing talent is a crucial part of success. This includes working hard for what you want to succeed in and out of your professional domain. But remember, a balance of hard work & smart work is a key quality to develop and augment growth mindset.
- Be honest yet kind with yourself – set backs are real and will happen. Welcome to healthcare. It changes, it evolves, and the ambiguity is palpable. What matters is how you handle the situation during, after, and placing future mitigations where applicable. Having a “bright-side” outlook is not always realistic. But, accountability and determining the next steps can be realistic. Apply this approach to put you a path of healthy growth habit development.
Applying these tips on a continuous basis is not easy but can be attainable. To achieve the desired shifts in your “self-theories,” practice regular check-ins with yourself to track progress.
ELEV8 is equipped with the skills and passion to support the development of key leadership habits with real-world implementation strategies. Saran Traore, Founder, and CEO of Elev8 is a Certified Executive Coach leveraging advanced coaching methodologies and approaches, to tackle the toughest challenges in healthcare today. To learn more or to schedule a strategy consultation click here.
