COVID-19 has had a tremendous impact on many businesses and the people in them. This blog post looks at the importance of a growth mindset to recovery and ongoing success.
COVID-19 has challenged the world in ways we never thought possible. We could never have foreseen a time when we would be forced to work, rest and play in the confines of our homes and spend so long away from loved ones. Whilst the personal toll of the pandemic is extreme, businesses large and small have also been battling thisinvisible enemyfor months.
There is no doubt that organisations have needed to ‘pivot’ or even temporarily close to create the best chance of survival. How workplaces, and the people within them, respond and recover will be driven by their ability to adopt a growth mindset.
Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck was curious as to why some people in life thrive whilst others flounder. This curiosity lead to learning that whilst every human is unique, there are similarities with some people pushing themselves daily into new and unchartered territory to continue to grow and develop, and others who tend to believe that talent, intelligence and capability is ‘fixed’.
In a fixed mindset, people believe that talent is something that you are born with and this means that you are either naturally good at something or you are not. This fixed mindset is around believing that the talent that you are born with is the key determining factor for success. Conversely, those with a growth mindset acknowledge that some people are born with talent, but firmly believe that others can achieve anything that they put their minds to. Hard work, perseverance and dedication are seen as the successful ingredients.
In a world where COVID-19 has changed the way we work forever, the following highlights some examples of how this may translate into the everyday workplace:
| Fixed Mindset | Growth Mindset |
| "We are never going to get our customers back after so long." | "We have been shut for months, but we have a strong product with many successes. Our customers will return as soon as they have the confidence to do so." |
| "I can't keep telling customers about the manufacturing delays." | "I know it's going to be challenging but I am prepared to give it a go. Can you give me some tips on what I should say?" |
| "I can't work effectively from home." | "I am going to use video technology to remain connected to my team, and speak to my manager on how this can best work for me." |
Our mindsets are our best asset and in this climate will become the compass to navigate the way out. Businesses have been presented with more challenges in 2020 than anyone thought possible, but the question is: do you see these challenges as threats or opportunities?
When trauma hits, it is human nature to simply do what is required to ‘survive’, but our energy isbetter spent looking for ways to ‘thrive’. COVID-19 has not just pressed pause on the way we do life, it has fundamentally changed some elements forever. Whilst we are all desperate to return our lives and businesses to ‘normal’, life as we know it will likely never be the same again.
A ‘survive’ mentality only has us doing what we need to do to ‘weather the storm’, but a ‘thrive’ mindset has us thinking about how we can emerge the other side with a more successful business containing resilient employees who can adapt to any challenge thrown their way.
Thriving is about making lemonade, when all we have is lemons. It is overcoming our fears and seeking to believe in ourselves and each other. Professor Carol Dweck’s research illustrates that a growth mindset will support individuals to push through setbacks and be willing to keep setting goals, even in times of adversity.
Consider for a moment how you initially responded when you became aware of the magnitude of COVID-19:
Most people fell into ‘survival’ mode which is totally understandable. But in hindsight could your time have been better spent if you reframed your mindset to ‘thrive’?
A fixed mindset was undoubtedly most people’s default when we all sat glued to our televisions watching the Prime Minister’s address. It is natural and expected to jump to the worst case scenarios, but our best chance of survival is to think about what the business model looks like when our physical doors are closed.
Leaders very quickly needed to ask themselves and each other:
There is no doubt that at first there were simply no answers and a lot of dead ends, but a thrive mentality positions us to continually focus on a better future.
We may not be able to plan overseas holidays or in some cases even travel within our own country, but we do have the ability to choose how we respond. Our mindset is our best asset as it will guide us through adversity and become a key driver in our hunt to restoring the everyday essentials that make us feel happy and safe. It may be very ‘un-Australian’ to be locked out of pubs and beaches for so long, but rolling up our sleeves and reframing our minds is what Aussies are made of.
For assistance with your workplace matters, Members of Ai Group can contact us or call ourWorkplace Advice Line on 1300 55 66 77 for further information.
Ai Group is continually publishing new COVID-19 advice and resources for employers:
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Georgina is Senior HR Content Editor – Publications at Ai Group. She is an accomplished Human Resource professional with over 25 years of generalist and leadership experience in a broad range of industries including financial services, tourism, travel, government and agriculture. She has successfully advised and partnered with senior leaders to implement people and performance initiatives that align to business strategy. Georgina is committed to utilising her experience to create resources that educate and engage and is passionate about supporting members to optimise an inclusive workforce culture that drives performance.
