The Mindset that Cultivates Possibilities.
In his trusted work in reconciliation, mediation, and conflict resolution, Dr. Vern Neufeld-Redekop refers to an idea in his ‘third-party-neutral’ approach called “the adjacent possible”, an option for breakthrough that only comes when we allow divergent voices and ideas to be presented together, and give space for emergent possibilities to reveal themselves [1]. It takes work, but enables growth. In my years of performance coaching, at the point a leader would get stuck thinking about options to get to their goal, it was not uncommon for me to ask, “what else could you do?” If the answer was, “I don’t know”, I would move on to unknown possibilities with a follow up question like, “What if you knew the answer? What would it be?” It’s extraordinary to see what emerged from this open space to consider new possible options just by creating space for it [2]. These practices are necessary, it seems, because of something going on at a deeper level within our mindset.
The book Mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck is a book about two mindsets: a fixed mindset, where intelligence is static, or a growth mindset, where intelligence can be developed. Dweck’s research shows how our understanding of both failure and effort are altered by moving to a growth mindset. A fixed mindset about one’s gifts or abilities can produce a limitation of effort within known area of gifting and terror when they wain. Her findings reveal that “the fixed mindset makes people into non learners” [3] But a growth mindset allows one to believe that “it’s impossible to foresee what can be accomplished with years of passion, toil and training” [4].
What I like about this is that it gives language to something implied in Jan F. Meyer’s and Ray Land’s work Overcoming Barriers to Student Understanding. They unpack the idea of a threshold concept as “akin to a portal opening up to a new and previously inaccessible way of thinking about something” [5]. Here is a clue as to why fixed mindsets are still held. In our era of data-overload, it becomes a mechanism to combat the insecurity that inevitably accompanies growth beyond known abilities or factors. It is unsettling, Meyer and Land point out, that “new knowledge forever changes a previously outlook” [6]. Dweck adds, “it’s especially not easy to replace it with a mindset that tells you to embrace all the things that have felt threatening: challenge, struggle, criticism, setbacks” [7]. The blockage in our minds is real.
I look at how I was raised. My early academic track record revealed how stuck I was, how I didn’t fit in with the prescribed academic program. I lived with immense insecurity and a strong fear of being wrong or being criticized, all the way up to the second year of my Undergrad. I had a fixed mindset about academics. In music, on the other hand, when I was forced into piano lessons, I cheated my way to Grade 5 Royal Conservatory (sorry, Hedy) by memorizing the music, embracing a growth mindset to cultivate my musicality beyond what was fixed, allowing “my creativity [to] develop” playing a variety of rhythm instruments [8]. I had to work through what Dweck highlights in “having different mindsets in different areas” [9]. Over time, I allowed more of the growth mindset to be applied to most of the areas of my life. How fitting then, to not merely discover this for myself, but to find fulfilment in my work of reconciliation, peace building, and global mission collaboration. It’s a world of facilitating and coaching others to try and think beyond the frame, explore what else is possible, and invite growth to benefit all.
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[1] This was released to me in a video call this Spring, while Dr. Neufeld-Redekop was participating with a collaborative PRN, Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, and Canadian Council of Churches series of conversations supporting understanding and dialogue between Ukrainian & Russian Christian leaders in the Canadian context. Here is more info on Vern. Website, n.d. https://www.cicr-icrc.ca/team/vern-neufeld-redekop.
[2] John Whitmore, Coaching for Performance : GROWing Human Potential and Purpose : The Principles and Practice of Coaching and Leadership, (3rd ed.) London, UK: Nicholas Brealey, 2002, 82.
[3] Dweck, Carol. Mindset : Changing the way you think to fulfil your potential, (Revised edition), UK: Robinson, 2017, 18.
[4] Mindset, 21.
[5] Jan F. Meyer & Land, Ray, Overcoming Barriers to Student Understanding: Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge, (1st ed.), UK: Routledge, 2006, 3.
[6] They argue that “mastery of a threshold concept is an irreversible process. The new understanding that a learner has ‘interferes’ with their earlier outlook, and will colour their opinions and understanding of both new and previously acquired material. Threshold concepts are, in a sense, epistemological floodgates; once opened they cannot simply be ‘undone’”. Overcoming Barriers, 175.
[7] Mindset, 235
[8] Mindset, 47.
[9] Mindset, ibid.
About the Author
Joel Zantingh
Joel Zantingh is a catalyst for peacemaking and intercultural teams, speaker, theologian and consultant. He is the Canadian Coordinator of the World Evangelical Alliance's Peace and Reconciliation Network, and the Director of Engagement with Lausanne Movement Canada. He has served in local and national roles within the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada, and led their global mission arm. He has experience teaching in formal and informal settings with Bible college students and leaders from various cultures and generations. Joel and Christie are parents to adult children, as well as grandparents. They reside in Guelph, Ont., situated on the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and home to many past, present and future First Nations peoples, including the Anishinnabe and Hodinöhsö:ni'.6 responses to “The Mindset that Cultivates Possibilities.”
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Joel,
I can see you being an absolutely amazing coach. So the mental health background in me wants to interpret your comments. I am curious as to the origins of your academic insecurity. Do you have a feel for what caused it? I know someone who was like that and I feel like their fixed mindset related to their academic insecurity was caused by comparing themselves to their older siblings and being afraid that they could not compete. What was your threshold concept that allowed you to overcome the academic insecurity?
Jeff, I don’t mind opening this up a bit. I was second-born, and felt incredible internal comparison to my older sister. I was raised in an environment where there was a lack of understanding of / support for learning disabilities. I would likely have been diagnosed with ADHD, which contributed to very low self-esteem, loneliness, sensitivity towards others’ criticisms, and increased self-criticism.
My threshold concept really came in a spiritual epiphany of God’s acceptance of me, and an alignment of my purpose with God’s giftings. Factors that helped came through counselling, and moving from isolating myself to expressing my vulnerability and leaning on others, which catapulted a long journey towards better spiritual and mental health.
The kid who failed “Bible” at Christian Elementary School in Gr 7 became the pastor/Bible teacher, and my fixed mindset about myself gave way to a growth mindset.
Hi Joel, Thanks for sharing about your journey toward a growth mindset. I am particularly interested in how you reframe your question when someone says they don’t know when asked – what else could you do? To – if you knew the answer what would it be. How disarming yet probing at the same time. Do you see that as an invitation to imagine?, to free themselves of claiming an answer and being held to it? or letting go of fears related to performance? or maybe some of all of the above.
Hi Diane. This is a classic coaching question, but it doesn’t work with everyone.
I have found that it’s important to leave space for people to think about this. If it doesn’t produce any results, move on to other questions like “Who is a friend that would possibly know? What would they suggest?”
Sidebar. A number of years ago, I read Steve Sample’s book, “The Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership”. He writes about helping people with free-thinking by asking out-of-the-box questions like “how would a butterfly solve this?” [https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjxv_bY8syJAxWuNAgFHaEDIeMYABACGgJtZA&ae=2&co=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAire5BhCNARIsAM53K1hnHzs9tUNMogRecujyB_gpIt1N4dMJc1dzgb9mRCN6KRJKFEbr_2saAujNEALw_wcB&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESV-D2dZmzFvEy_uqRVEIrImD_bsK7lEFutucqJvm7epAjj4cINMm2ccO2-hQDM6zBWsUF7YSJsza2AJ8aIk87ZusmXcf-eikVBrFaL9fnKKTDTeVu89FS5w&sig=AOD64_2Ql_u11_LdHMljtnNILd49KynQDw&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwib_PDY8syJAxV0m4kEHWjYIP0Q0Qx6BAhSEAE]
What are your thoughts on this?
Hi Zoel,
Thank you for your post.
What role do threshold concepts play in understanding the challenges of adopting a growth mindset, and why might individuals cling to fixed mindsets in the face of new knowledge? What has been your experience.
Hi Joel, Thank you for including Dr. Vern Neufeld-Redekop’s ideas in your post. I like the idea of the ‘third-party-neutral.’ I keep thinking of the importance of a growth mindset in reconciliation, mediation, and conflict resolution. In your experience, what are some main contributors to people remaining in a fixed mindset (or stuck) concerning reconciliation? I would like to know how this differs as you work with different cultures. P.S. I am glad you were able to find music!