The concept of growth mindset has grown more popular, though there are a number of myths about the philosophy that deserve to be debunked, according to the Harvard Business Review.
Growth mindset is the idea that people are capable of improving their skills, and developing them is the purpose of their work.
Here are five misconceptions about the concept:
1. Growth mindset means striving for business growth. A growth mindset implies a continuous personal journey and should not be considered a means of achieving higher profits.
2. Businesses, not people, can have growth mindsets. Since businesses cannot think critically about performance and potential, they cannot have growth mindsets. Leaders can encourage employees to craft their own growth mindsets by cultivating a culture around particular habits, but employees cannot be forced to adopt them.
3. Growth is limitless. Growth should be centered on particular skills or goals and is ineffective if is unfocused and abstract.
4. Growth mindset is binary. A growth mindset is not an all-encompassing way of thinking that one either has or doesn't have; it can be selectively applied to areas of a person's life.
5. Growth mindset means having a positive attitude no matter what. Some employers use growth mindset as an excuse to criticize employees who are struggling, but a true growth mindset does not assume people have infinite resources. Instead, it encourages the idea that these employees can improve over time.