Even since Stanford’s Carol Dweck bought the growth and fixed mindsets to widespread attention in 2012, the virtues of a growth mindset have been attributed to all manner of wholesome values.  Given the importance of failure (and learning) to innovation, it’s perhaps no surprise that a recent study from Yale finds a growth mindset is crucial to innovation.

The research builds on earlier work that suggests that people have very different beliefs about the nature of interest.  Those with a growth mindset tend to assume that interests can be cultivated, whereas those with a fixed mindset think they are found instead.

It finds that a growth mindset can increase our tendency not only to generate ideas, but to generate ideas that bridge areas of interest.  The researchers believe their work has practical implications for organizations as they strive to innovate.

“This research provides a useful direction for organisations whose products and services call for integrated and creative solutions. Take smartphones, for example,” they explain. “You not only need computer science and engineering knowledge, but also an understanding of psychology and visual design to create a product that is useful and resonates with the user. When organisations hire people with a growth mindset, or promote it among their employees, those employees may be more likely to devise innovative ideas that bridge multiple areas of knowledge to achieve better solutions.”

Varied virtues

The researchers also believe that a growth mindset could be valuable for people seeking employment as well as those looking to innovate.  The authors argue that such a mindset can help us to expand our interests and become more open to new skills and different fields.

“For example, whereas some engineers may restrict themselves to technical roles, an engineer who develops an interest in marketing might accrue the skills and knowledge needed to gain employment in the sales team of an engineering firm,” they say.

They urge education providers to better prepare young people for the unpredictable world we live in by encouraging and nurturing a growth mindset in students.  They argue that an interdisciplinary education can help to develop better problem solving capabilities.

“People can be influenced to adopt a growth mindset of interest if they are immersed in an environment with a culture that promotes and reinforces the idea that interests can grow and develop,” they explain. “Moreover, there must be opportunities for people to act on their belief that new interests can develop. Therefore, universities and organisations, among others, may wish to provide opportunities to explore new topics and activities, be it through workshops, elective courses, or facilitating collaborations among people with different areas of interest and expertise.”