The nature of mindsets part 2. We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims.” — Buckminster Fuller
The three basic mindsets
“The most important question anyone can ask is: What myth am I living?” — Carl Jung
While everyone’s mindset is unique there are some common types that are useful to be aware of.
This includes the Fixed, Growth and Benefit Mindsets which reflect common beliefs people hold about the nature of learning and leadership.
A Fixed Mindset is symbolised by the everyday expert.
“In a Fixed Mindset people believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that’s that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb.” —
Carol Dweck
A Growth Mindset is symbolised by the everyday learner.
“In a Growth Mindset people understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.” —
Carol Dweck
A Benefit Mindset is symbolised by the everyday leader.
In a Benefit Mindset we not only seek to fulfil our potential, but choose to do it in a way that contributes to the wellbeing of others and society as a whole. We question ‘why’ we do what we do, and believe in doing good things for good reasons.
For a more detailed summary of the research behind each of these mindsets please refer to our academic paper.
The basic mindsets in practice
Let’s say you went shopping to buy some food for dinner.
If you did your shopping on autopilot, drawing on your habitual patterns of behaviour and bought what you normally would, that’s an example of a Fixed Mindset.
If instead, you went shopping and considered making something new and different, and bought ingredients in a mindful fashion, that’s an example of a Growth Mindset.
However, if you went shopping, considered making something new and you also considered the wellbeing of your community and the planet — choosing socially and environmentally innovative options, that’s an example of a Benefit Mindset.
This is a simple example of how the mindset we adopt shapes our everyday actions and the future possibilities of our world.
More consciously choosing your mindset
“We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims.” — Buckminster Fuller
How can we become more conscious of the mindsets we are living? There are a wide range of practices for making more conscious choices, here are a few worth noting;
On a personal level, a practice of
mindfulness helps us become more aware of how our mindsets are manifesting in our lives and our world.
In a community setting, Walk Out Walk On by Margret Wheatley & Deborah Frieze provides a rich variety of practices communities are using to live the future now. Communities who come together to walk out of their limiting beliefs, attitudes and assumptions — and walk on to healthy and resilient futures.
In an organisational setting, Robert Kegan’s and Lisa Laskow Lahey’s concept of a Deliberately Developmental Organization is valuable for promoting whole organisation mindset development.
Otto Scharmer has developed a mindset transcending practice called Presencing
(also called Theory U). Presencing can be understood in three primary ways: first as a framework; second, as a method for leading profound change; and third, as a way of being — connecting to the more authentic aspects of our self and the world.
David Gray’s book Liminal Thinking
provides a range of nine practices for minimising reality distortion, envisioning new possibilities and creating positive change. These practices can be summarized as three simple precepts: 1. Get in touch with your ignorance. 2. Seek understanding. 3. Do something different.
Who do you want to be and what kind of world do you want to create?
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” — Jane Goodall
In this primer, we’ve explored; what mindsets are, why they matter and provided a range of practices you can use to be mindful about how and why you use them.
If your organisation is interested in developing this vital human capacity, get in touch and let’s work together.
“The most important question anyone can ask is: What myth am I living?” — Carl Jung
While everyone’s mindset is unique there are some common types that are useful to be aware of.
This includes the Fixed, Growth and Benefit Mindsets which reflect common beliefs people hold about the nature of learning and leadership.
A Fixed Mindset is symbolised by the everyday expert.
“In a Fixed Mindset people believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that’s that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb.” —
Carol Dweck
A Growth Mindset is symbolised by the everyday learner.
“In a Growth Mindset people understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.” —
Carol Dweck
A Benefit Mindset is symbolised by the everyday leader.
In a Benefit Mindset we not only seek to fulfil our potential, but choose to do it in a way that contributes to the wellbeing of others and society as a whole. We question ‘why’ we do what we do, and believe in doing good things for good reasons.
For a more detailed summary of the research behind each of these mindsets please refer to our academic paper.
The basic mindsets in practice
Let’s say you went shopping to buy some food for dinner.
If you did your shopping on autopilot, drawing on your habitual patterns of behaviour and bought what you normally would, that’s an example of a Fixed Mindset.
If instead, you went shopping and considered making something new and different, and bought ingredients in a mindful fashion, that’s an example of a Growth Mindset.
However, if you went shopping, considered making something new and you also considered the wellbeing of your community and the planet — choosing socially and environmentally innovative options, that’s an example of a Benefit Mindset.
This is a simple example of how the mindset we adopt shapes our everyday actions and the future possibilities of our world.
More consciously choosing your mindset
“We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims.” — Buckminster Fuller
How can we become more conscious of the mindsets we are living? There are a wide range of practices for making more conscious choices, here are a few worth noting;
On a personal level, a practice of
mindfulness helps us become more aware of how our mindsets are manifesting in our lives and our world.
In a community setting, Walk Out Walk On by Margret Wheatley & Deborah Frieze provides a rich variety of practices communities are using to live the future now. Communities who come together to walk out of their limiting beliefs, attitudes and assumptions — and walk on to healthy and resilient futures.
In an organisational setting, Robert Kegan’s and Lisa Laskow Lahey’s concept of a Deliberately Developmental Organization is valuable for promoting whole organisation mindset development.
Otto Scharmer has developed a mindset transcending practice called Presencing
(also called Theory U). Presencing can be understood in three primary ways: first as a framework; second, as a method for leading profound change; and third, as a way of being — connecting to the more authentic aspects of our self and the world.
David Gray’s book Liminal Thinking
provides a range of nine practices for minimising reality distortion, envisioning new possibilities and creating positive change. These practices can be summarized as three simple precepts: 1. Get in touch with your ignorance. 2. Seek understanding. 3. Do something different.
Who do you want to be and what kind of world do you want to create?
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” — Jane Goodall
In this primer, we’ve explored; what mindsets are, why they matter and provided a range of practices you can use to be mindful about how and why you use them.
If your organisation is interested in developing this vital human capacity, get in touch and let’s work together.
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