Does Growth Mindset Vary by Gender?
Over 30 years ago, psychology professor Carol Dweck and her colleagues at Stanford became interested in the role of students' attitudes about failure. They noticed that some students rebounded while other students seemed devastated by even the smallest setbacks.
After studying the behavior of thousands of children, Dr. Dweck coined the terms fixed mindset and growth mindset to describe the underlying beliefs people have about learning and intelligence. When students believe they can get smarter, they understand that effort makes them stronger. Therefore, they put in extra time and effort, and that leads to higher achievement.
The same principle applies to adults too. I often speak on the topics of leadership and gender, especially to women's groups. After an extensive discussion about the leadership gender gap, barriers to leadership, gender differences in emotional intelligence, and the impact of socialization, I end the presentation with strategies and advice for both men and women.
Over the years, I've realized that of all the strategies I provide, the most important piece of advice I can give women is this:
Have confidence in your strengths, knowledge & ability (including your ability to figure things out).
The "figure things out" part of the equation IS growth mindset. It centers on learning and the words "Yet" or "Not Yet", instead of failure.
If you're approached by your boss with something you've never done, what do you say?
Most men will say “Boss, I got it” or “I’m on it” -- even if they DON’t know how to do it. And what do they do? They search Google, study research, or ask colleagues. They have confidence in their ability to figure it out, and more often than not, this approach works. This is partly in keeping with men's risk-taking propensity, but that's a topic for another article!
When faced with a new challenge, women generally have a different response. Women will say “I don’t have experience in that” or “I’ve never done that” or “We could hire a consultant, but I'm just not sure". There’s nothing wrong with being honest and transparent, but it may squelch opportunities for new experiences.
A few years ago, a TEDx organizer in Los Angeles approached 10 men about doing a TEDx talk, and 9 said YES. He also approached 10 women about the same opportunity, and 9 of them said NO. Saying no = no opportunity for experience.
Next time, instead of replying "I've never done that", say, "I haven't done that...yet".
Have confidence in your ability to learn. You have all the same resources available to you as everyone else, and you absolutely can do this!
Having a growth mindset pushes us out of our comfort zone and creates greater confidence and persistence. And, as a bonus...when we try something hard and stick with it, our neurons form stronger connections (neuroplasticity) and over time we become smarter.
Sometimes there are gender differences in how we approach challenges. But, give yourself the gift of a growth mindset, and see how far you can fly!
You can find more information on my website drshawnandrews.com or my book, The Power of Perception: Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, and the Gender Divide.
Dr. Shawn
