In Margaret Heffernan’s (2015) remarks I was intrigued by the idea that social connectedness, empathy, and helpfulness are at the root of success. In America we very much worship superstars and strive to be superstars ourselves. However, since superstars (or superchickens!) only find success by eliminating competition, the net gain is nil.
I really resonated with the research that shows that colleagues who know one another and have trust in one another are more easily able to develop innovation and great ideas because they feel safe to share ideas that aren’t fully formed. It’s the old adage, two heads are better than one. I appreciated that Heffernan acknowledged the conflict and debate that happens when we work collaboratively like this. I struggle with confrontation, but I can handle it more gracefully when it happens with someone I know and trust. I hope to be able to develop that type of collaborative relationship with my colleagues, peers and friends!
The idea of “yet” and the growth mindset hit my radar a few years ago when I first watched this video of Carol Dweck (2014). Growth mindset was something that I really did not experience in my formative years, but that I wanted to instill in my own children and in the students I was working with (international college students in their first semester). Beyond the way we respond to challenges and mistakes, my favorite thing about this research is that our cognitive abilities can be grown. No more, “I’m just not smart enough.” Or “I’ll never be able to do it.” I am also now very cognizant of the language I use in my questions and praise to build interest, engagement and growth in the process of learning.
References
Dweck, C. (2014, October 9). Developing a growth mindset with Carol Dweck. YouTube. Retrieved August 25, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiEeMN7vbQ&ab_channel=StanfordAlumni
Heffernan, M. (2015, June 16). Margaret Heffernan: Why it’s time to forget the pecking order at work. YouTube. Retrieved August 25, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyn_xLrtZaY&ab_channel=TED
Facilitation Innovation 
2 responses to “Superchickens & Growth Mindset”
[…] Growth Mindset Musings […]
LikeLike
I also think it’s important to remember that conflict and debate can be a good thing. It’s through challenging each other’s ideas that we can come up with the best solutions.
LikeLike