Cultivating Growth in Others

In our last article, we talked about cultivating a growth mindset in ourselves. What about the people we lead? If we want to build strong teams and thriving businesses, we must go beyond personal growth – we must cultivate a growth mindset in others

As a coach, many of the people I work with have ascended to leadership positions in companies or have become owners of growing businesses because they already have an inherent growth mindset. As employees, they have been exceptional in their roles, and executives recognized their potential, promoting them to leadership. These high potentials are often very good at what they do individually and now will take on the (sometimes new) skillset of leading others.

Similarly, small business owners with a growth mindset expand their businesses to the point where they need to hire and lead others. They have been so growth-minded that their customers are usually very happy and become plentiful sources of repeat and referral business. Now the SBO is faced with the fundamental decision of whether to grow by adding people or to be constrained to their current level of business.

The Challenge: Growth Mindset Is Not Universal

A common challenge arises when these leaders begin managing others: they quickly discover that many of their people do not share the same growth-oriented perspective. Many times, the growth mindset that is inherently part of the leader’s nature becomes an unconscious expectation for their employees or team members. It silently assumes “because I think this way, everyone else does too.” But that’s simply not true.

This leads to a series of unmet expectations – leaders assume their employees share their mindset and never explicitly make agreements about what will get done and how we will think about it. When the unsaid expectations go unmet, the result is often disappointment, frustration, and even business breakups. Rather than promoting alignment and shared objectives, these differences often create distance between leaders and their teams. Opinions become entrenched, turning discussions from “what is right” to “who is right.” Left unaddressed, this can lead to cultural cracks within organizations, ultimately causing separation and turnover.

So, what are our options when it comes to cultivating a growth mindset in others?

Three Options for Leaders:

Continue Being Unaware and Using Ineffective Management Practices – We know that people no longer respond to traditional, authoritarian management in the same way. If we fail to get people engaged in how they will grow and change, it is unlikely we will see their best work. In this era, employees want to work with their boss, not for their boss.
Ignore the Issue – Some businesses choose to accept turnover as a norm, repeatedly cycling through employees. However, this can limit growth, leading to a ceiling that prevents further success. Consider how much time and expense it takes to train someone new in a position, and now multiply that by 10, 20, or 100 times.
Adopt Effective Leadership Tools – The best approach is to incorporate impactful strategies that cultivate a growth mindset in others. By modeling and fostering growth-oriented behaviors, we cause people to want to develop without the constant “push” leadership style. Now, when the growth mindset has become part of the culture, people begin to celebrate learning and expansion of their skills and understanding. In addition, we may also begin to attract and retain higher-level talent who pushes us to grow as well.

Four Ways to Cultivate a Growth Mindset in Others:

Focus on People’s Positive Changes
- Ask questions that help individuals recognize their progress:
  - What have you learned?
  - How have you developed?
  - What are you doing better today than yesterday?
  - What new wisdom or perspective have you gained?
- These questions help people self-discover their growth and appreciate the value of their professional journey.
Share Observations
- Recognize and call out positive changes:
  - “I remember last week you handled this situation one way, and now I see you approaching it differently.”
    “You weren’t willing to confront this issue before, and now you are.”
    “Your time management has improved with even very small adjustments.”
- Celebrating even small improvements fosters encouragement and motivation.
Implement Systems and Models
- Use tools like Individual Development Plans (IDPs) or similar frameworks to create a structure for growth.
- Keep the focus on positive development: “Here’s where you are now. Here’s your next level. Here’s how I see you advancing.” This approach ensures employees feel valued and capable rather than feeling like they need to “fix” something wrong.
- Tie advancement to both measurable achievements (quantitative metrics) and personal growth (demonstration of key behaviors and core values).
- Growth should be seen as a way of being, not just a checklist of completed tasks.
Encourage Personal as Well as Professional Goals:
- Another powerful way to instill a growth mindset is by helping team members set personal goals alongside their professional ones. Encourage employees to develop SMART goals in areas outside of work, such as:
  - Finances
  - Health
  - Relationships
  - Personal development

Be a coach by asking them to create their own plans and letting them tell you how you can support them. Then, request permission to revisit these goals periodically: “Can we check in on this in a few weeks? I’d love to hear about your progress.”

The Impact of Growth Mindset Leadership:

By focusing on these strategies, leaders become catalysts for growth within their organizations. As employees experience personal and professional progress, they will associate that growth with their relationship with you as their leader. Growth begets growth—small successes build into larger ones, reinforcing the mindset of continuous improvement.

A Final Thought:

Not everyone is naturally inclined toward a growth mindset. Some individuals may resist change or lack the internal drive to develop. However, there is a middle group—people with untapped potential – who can flourish under effective leadership. By using the right tools, leaders can draw out that potential, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have strategies for cultivating a growth mindset, share them in the comments below. Likewise, if you’ve had leadership experiences where this approach didn’t work, let’s learn from that too. There are no bad experiences when we use them as opportunities for growth.