The pace of technological change shows little sign of slowing, so it’s crucial that employees are able to successfully adapt to each new wave and update their skills in order to fully capitalize on the opportunities available.

Unfortunately, it’s increasingly unlikely that employees will be engaging in the learning they need. Research from the London School of Economics suggests that the number of workers who have done any work-based training has fallen by about 5%, with things especially dire for lower-skilled workers both in and out of work.

The right support

Research from BI Norwegian Business School reminds us of the crucial role managers play in creating the right environment for employees to learn. Unfortunately, not all managers are able to do that, with the researchers explaining that many have a fixed mindset perspective of employees which means they’re viewed as largely incapable of learning what they need.

The notion of fixed and growth mindsets was pioneered by Stanford’s Carol Dweck.  A growth mindset is defined as a belief that our ability is something we can change with time and effort. A fixed mindset, however, believes that our ability is rigid and unchangeable.

People with a growth mindset embrace challenging tasks and situations. They see effort as essential for improvement and are unafraid of difficulty. They are also more likely to seek and accept help and feedback, viewing it as valuable for achieving their learning goals.

Conversely, those with a fixed mindset tend to avoid challenging tasks and situations. They fear being labeled as incompetent if they fail. This fear also keeps them from seeking help. They often reject available help and see critical feedback as a threat.

Others’ learning potential

The study reminds us that our beliefs about ability play a crucial role in how we perceive the learning potential of those we lead, and therefore the effort we put into helping them develop new skills.

The researchers found that managers with a growth mindset were much more likely to offer employees with coaching and other forms of support to develop their skills than managers with a fixed mindset. This deferral to a fixed mindset can be especially damaging for minorities, as fixed mindset managers can often make stereotypical judgments about them.

The authors found that some people lean towards a growth mindset about technological ability, viewing it as something that can be developed with effort and training. These individuals are more motivated to engage with new workplace technology, seeing it as an opportunity for learning and development.

Others lean towards a fixed belief about technological ability, thinking it is innate and unchangeable. This fixed belief often leads to doubts about their ability to learn and work with new technology. The fear of appearing incompetent can also hinder their engagement with new technology.

A significant impact

The impact of a fixed mindset can be especially harmful given the prevalence of negative stereotypes across the workplace, especially around things like learning and adapting to new technologies. For instance, numerous studies have shown that we can often perceive older people as being less adept at learning about new technologies. If this feeds through into giving those employees less developmental support then it’s likely to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The researchers also highlight the negative stereotypes that often blight women in the workplace, and indeed found that managers with a fixed mindset were less likely to offer support to female employees.

Given the harmful impact of a fixed mindset, therefore, it’s important that we work to ensure that managers are not only able to support employees in adapting to change but that they also believe employees are capable of doing so. That our mindsets are often subconscious can make them challenging to address, but the researchers do offer some suggestions we might explore nonetheless.

Detecting a fixed mindset

The researchers identified three statements, which, if the leader agrees with them, they’re more likely to have a fixed mindset concerning the technological ability of their team.

1. A person’s level of technological ability is something basic about them, and there isn’t much that can be done to change it.

2. Whether a person will be quick and skilled at using new technology is deeply ingrained in the kind of person they are. It cannot be changed very much.

3. Although people can sometimes learn new things, you can’t really change people’s basic ability for adapting to new technology.

If, after going through this process, you identify a fixed mindset in either yourself or others, the researchers propose a number of steps to rectify things.

1. Firstly, it’s important to accept the growth potential within us all.
2. Secondly, introducing a degree of cognitive dissonance is key. Try to remember a time when you found someone working with technology in a way you didn’t expect. What might have happened had your pre-existing mindset applied in that circumstance?
3. Lastly, try and identify someone whose talents are being held back by a fixed mindset, and actively try to help them grow.

Change is one of the few constants in any workplace, and adapting to new technology is a key role of any leader. The research provides a timely reminder that adopting a growth mindset can be a crucial first step in ensuring your team manages to do just that.