Coaching and Mindset

The emphasis of coaching is on the soft skills rather than technical ability. It is about how leaders  apply their technical abilities within the organisation to effect solutions.

This work requires a high level of awareness of self and others – and how we need to moderate our behaviour/responses to increase our ability to influence positive outcomes. Where do we start in this journey of behaviour moderation?

Individual attempts to moderate behaviour without checking on mindset is like walking towards a formula one vehicle with a jerry can of 2stroke fuel – you’re heading to get nowhere fast. What is there to learn about mindset and how this influences positive outcomes?

Carol Dweck makes the distinction between fixed and growth mindset and  the impact on success.

In a fixed mindset, you avoid challenging situations that might lead to failure because success depends upon protecting and promoting your set of fixed qualities and concealing your deficiencies. If you do fail, you focus on rationalizing the failure rather than learning from it and developing your capabilities. With a growth mindset, you focus on learning and development rather than failure and actively pursue the types of challenges that will likely lead to both learning and failure.

The full article is well worth a read.

http://blogs.hbr.org/bigshift/2010/11/do-you-have-a-growth-mindset.html