{"id":39365,"date":"2024-11-07T20:18:22","date_gmt":"2024-11-08T04:18:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=39365"},"modified":"2024-11-07T20:18:22","modified_gmt":"2024-11-08T04:18:22","slug":"over-your-skis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/over-your-skis\/","title":{"rendered":"Over Your Skis"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the arrival of winter and snow in our part of the Rocky Mountains, I am reminded of the widely used skiing metaphor \u201cOver your skis.\u201d This describes a skier who leans too far forward, making them unstable and more likely to lose control or fall. Figuratively, it means taking on more than you can handle or getting ahead of yourself, usually in a risky way. \"\"<\/a>When someone is \u201cover their skis,\u201d they might be pursuing something without the necessary skills, resources, or preparation and are at risk of failure because they have overestimated their capacity or moved forward too quickly without a solid foundation.\u00a0 For many, this scenario is avoided at all costs, but for others, being out over your skis isn\u2019t seen as overreaching\u2014it\u2019s recognized as a natural part of taking on challenges that lead to growth. In her seminal book <\/span>Mindset<\/span><\/i>[1]<\/span>, <\/span><\/i>renowned psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck explores different approaches to risk and growth, significantly transforming our understanding of learning and resilience. In this article, I will examine the two mindsets identified by Dweck and discuss how the praise we offer can influence the development of these mindsets. Additionally, I will integrate insights from Eve Poole\u2019s <\/span>Leadersmithing<\/span><\/i>[2] <\/span>to better understand the importance of mindset in leadership development.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Two Mindsets<\/b><\/p>\n

Research spanning 30 years has led Dweck to the conclusion that our self-perception significantly influences how we lead ourselves and others. According to Dweck, this perception is shaped by one of two mindsets: fixed or growth.[3]<\/span> A fixed mindset is the belief that abilities are innate and unchangeable, viewed as a finite quantity. Individuals with this mindset often need to establish and prove themselves constantly. They think that if intelligence, personality, charisma, and character are finite, they must demonstrate that they possess them in large amounts.\u00a0 It was also learned that those with a fixed mindset tend to avoid situations or challenges that might expose their flaws and call into question their intelligence or talent.[4]<\/span><\/p>\n

Contrasted with a fixed mindset is a growth mindset, which believes that intelligence, abilities, personality, and character can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence. Individuals with a growth mindset embrace challenges, take risks, learn from failure, and value the growth journey.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dweck\u2019s research shows that mindset directly impacts motivation, resilience, and overall potential. Those with a growth mindset approach challenges as learning opportunities, which sets them on a path of continuous development. The experience of being \u201cover your skis\u201d becomes an invitation to modify, learn, and eventually become more stable in new terrain.<\/span><\/p>\n

Problems of Praise<\/b><\/p>\n

Carol Dweck’s research shows that many people are conditioned to embrace either a fixed or growth mindset from a young age. How we praise others, whether children or adults, can reinforce these mindsets. For example, praise highlighting innate qualities, such as “You\u2019re so smart!” tends to foster a fixed mindset. In contrast, praise emphasizing effort, like “You worked so hard!” promotes a growth mindset.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dweck found that praising talent or intelligence can create pressure to perform rather than learn. This can lead individuals to fear failure and avoid challenges. On the other hand, praise centered on effort and strategy encourages resilience, helping individuals learn to value hard work and persistence. This approach inspires them to pursue new challenges contributing to their learning and personal growth.[5]<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Growth Mindset and the Craft of Leadership<\/b><\/p>\n

Eve Poole\u2019s concept in <\/span>Leadersmithing<\/span><\/i> suggests that leadership is a skill developed through practice and deliberate learning rather than an innate trait or a fixed quantity.\u00a0 Through her research, she can offer practical leadership development strategies for individuals to grow their leadership abilities.\u00a0 She identifies that while some may have natural leadership traits, everyone can develop leadership abilities.[6]<\/span> Poole\u2019s approach aligns with the growth mindset. By framing leadership as a craft, Poole argues that skills can continually be improved, which reflects the growth mindset\u2019s core idea that abilities can be developed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Poole emphasizes learning through “Critical Incidents,”[7]<\/span> which aligns with Dweck’s findings on the importance of growth-oriented praise. Leaders are encouraged to experiment, fail, and learn from their experiences to become more resilient and capable. Similarly, individuals praised for their effort are more willing to take on challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n

Takeaways<\/b><\/p>\n

Cultivating a growth mindset is possible, but it is a journey. Dweck argues that we can all embark on this journey, but we must acknowledge that we possess both a fixed and a growth mindset. It\u2019s important to recognize what triggers your fixed mindset and understand its effects once triggered.[8]<\/span>\u00a0 We can learn to adopt a growth mindset, even when faced with challenges. It’s essential to recognize what triggers our fixed mindset. Similar to Poole\u2019s concept of \u201cCritical Incidents,\u201d we should encourage ourselves and others to tackle complex tasks and learn from the experiences they offer.<\/span><\/p>\n

_________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

[1] Carol Dweck, <\/span>Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfil Your Potential<\/span><\/i>, (London: Robinson, 2017).<\/span><\/p>\n

[2] Eve Poole, <\/span>Leadersmithing: Revealing the Trade Secrets of Leadership<\/span><\/i> (London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017).<\/span><\/p>\n

[3] Dweck, <\/span>Mindset<\/span><\/i>, 6-7.<\/span><\/p>\n

[4] Dweck, <\/span>Mindset<\/span><\/i>, 71.<\/span><\/p>\n

[5] Dweck, <\/span>Mindset<\/span><\/i>, 72.<\/span><\/p>\n

[6] Eve Poole, <\/span>Leadersmithing<\/span><\/i>, 2.<\/span><\/p>\n

[7] Eve Poole, <\/span>Leadersmithing<\/span><\/i>, 10.<\/span><\/p>\n

[8] Dweck, <\/span>Mindset,<\/span><\/i> 261-262.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With the arrival of winter and snow in our part of the Rocky Mountains, I am reminded of the widely used skiing metaphor \u201cOver your skis.\u201d This describes a skier who leans too far forward, making them unstable and more likely to lose control or fall. Figuratively, it means taking on more than you can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":194,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3354],"class_list":["post-39365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-dlgp03-dweck","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/194"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39365"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39365\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39367,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39365\/revisions\/39367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}