mindsets: how toc might extend dweck’s original work. debi roberts ma ed copy right debi roberts...

Mindsets: How TOC Might Extend Dweck’s Original Work.

Debi Roberts MA Ed

copy right Debi Roberts 2012

Debi Roberts MA Ed UK Director TOC for Education

Author Youth Participation Officer

Head of Goldratt Social Applications.

[email protected]

SBN – 978-1-906517-48-9 from Speechmark

I conducted a year’s research programme to explore the impact of TOC on a class of 26 ten year olds

A = Overall StressB = Hyperactivity and Attention Difficulties.

copyright Debi Roberts 2010

I had always been intrigued by behaviour and how people develop and change. What supports them to reach their goals and what gets in their way and most mystifying of all - what triggers our auto responses no matter how

much work has been done to move away from them - in other words how we can be our best version of ourselves even under stress.


My initial research was underpinned by the understanding that typically, staff and pupils with well developed emotional intelligence (EI) present companies and schools with a better candidate than someone with low EI.

Although to be fair, in terms of employment it does rather depend on what you want your staff to do as to how important EI might be.

That said, high EI tends to equate to more competent employees and pupils achievingmore in their exams and in the work place (Goleman 2006). This is possible because EIallows us to manage our own and other peoples’ emotions more effectively, which in turn supports our ability to manage stressful situations and varying levels of stress arepart and parcel of nearly all main stream students educational experience and most employees experience.


My research lead me to understand that the collective emotional intelligence of a group, team or class can be more, or less, than the sum of its parts.

For this to be true, groups must be an entity with their own intelligence.

*This was the subject of my TOCICO talk last year and can be downloaded from their library.

My research lead me to understand that the collective emotional intelligence of a group, team or class can be more, or less, than the sum of its parts.

For this to be true, groups must be an entity with their own intelligence.

*This was the subject of my TOCICO talk last year and can be downloaded from their library.


individual progress will be subordinated to the progress of the group

to develop an individual’s emotional intelligence (Ei)

And we develop staff and students in a group situation

And the groupis emotionallyilliterate

If the goal is …..

It has lower order goals


Individuals will develop more quickly

to develop an individual’s emotional intelligence (Ei)

And we develop staff and students in a group situation

And we start by developing the group’semotionalintelligence

If the goal is …..

Groups become more supportive of individuals

Carol Dweck Professor of Psychology at Stanford University

Since the 1980’s, Dweck has explored the self-conceptions people use to structure and guidetheir behaviour.

Mindsets - published in 2006 copy right Debi Roberts 2012

How do mind-sets impact the group?

Most people aim to succeed in what they are doing. But what impact would being in a group with high, or low emotional intelligence have on those aims?By considering mind-sets I began to understand that the likelihood of one’s success is influenced not only by actual ability and effort, but also by the beliefs one brings to the task in hand (Elliot and Dweck, 2005). Which raised for me the question of whether a group’s belief in an individual within the group could also influence the outcome.


Assumptions colour our interpretations and influence behaviourMind-sets are really important, and thanks to Magnetic Resonance Imaging, we can now appreciate

that they are not merely an abstract concept, they are real and to some extent, observable.(Moser shroder, Heeter, moran &Lee 2011. Mengels et al 2006)

Identity

beliefs

attitude

emotions

Behaviours and reactionsmindset


influenceinfluenceinfluenceinfluence

influenceinfluence

influence

influence

influence

influenceinfluence

influence

influenceinfluence

influence

influence


Implicit theories, are just that, implied and not implicitly spoken or referred to by the person holding that theory. They provide an organising structure that proceeds self-regulation regarding any specific goal. They form a schematic that scaffolds the way a person ascribes meaning to an event. Schemas in behavioural psychology are also repeatable patterns of behaviour, and your mindset will produce automatic responses, repeatedly. Most significantly, implicit theories create beliefs about the malleable and fixed natures of human attributes which unconsciously drive behaviour, decision making, and ultimately our mental and physical health.

Implicit theories, are just that, implied and not implicitly spoken or referred to by the person holding that theory. They provide an organising structure that proceeds self-regulation regarding any specific goal. They form a schematic that scaffolds the way a person ascribes meaning to an event. Schemas in behavioural psychology are also repeatable patterns of behaviour, and your mindset will produce automatic responses, repeatedly. Most significantly, implicit theories create beliefs about the malleable and fixed natures of human attributes which unconsciously drive behaviour, decision making, and ultimately our mental and physical health.

These belief systems converge around two main themes

Incremental

Entitycopy right Debi Roberts 2012

FIXED

GROWTH

These are polarised positions and Dweck calls them Fixed and Growth mindsets.

Very simply, one believes that abilities are fixed and really cant be influenced greatly, the other that there is no limit to what one can achieve.

These two core positions result in a typical range of assumptions about life – that is, people with a particular mindset will often display the same types of attitude towards things and so we see stereotypical behaviour.

It is these attitudes and behaviours that will ultimately determine whether a set back will crush you or spur you on.

People develop these implicit theories, based on their observations, interpretations and interactions with the world. Dweck and her peers have shown that depending on which theory we subscribe to will influence whether we rise above the challenges we face or sink under the weight of them. And this, is what Dweck suggests in the end, supports long term outcomes and what ensures some of us can make the most of opportunities and some of us, won’t.



Thus far, Dweck’s work has been most influential to education because understanding how we as parents, mentors and teachers play a part in developing the expression of mindsets is ultimately the difference our children and students need to engage with their education as well as their long term health, happiness and success too.

Thus far, Dweck’s work has been most influential to education because understanding how we as parents, mentors and teachers play a part in developing the expression of mindsets is ultimately the difference our children and students need to engage with their education as well as their long term health, happiness and success too.

MINDSETS in adults, just as with children can be impacted enormously by interactions with others – a type of gene expression if you like. And this is perhaps the most astonishing aspect of Dweck’s work, because her team found that the very phrases and comments we use, often believing them to be encouraging and helpful, can actually produce the opposite results to the ones we intended, worse still, then can actually prevent our students or employees reaching their full potential


Assumptions colour our interpretations and influence behaviour

I can notImprovesignificantly Skills

are fixed

Intelligence is fixed My choices

and behaviours reflect my assumptions about life.

Fixedmindset


Fixed I believe I was born with the abilities and skills I have. You can’t do much to change things – you either have

it or you don’t Success = I have it. It proves I’m smart or talented I want to make sure I succeed I am highly motivated by performance goals Failure means I’m not smart or talented Failure means I’m a failure (an identity) I’m interested in outcomes I avoid challenges (failure is not an options) I thrive in feeling smart/er ( I need to feel safe) I find blame and excuses for things that go wrong


You might die

If you say/do something stupid


We are hard wired to work towards acceptance because acceptance usually means survival.

In prehistoric times, being part of a group was essential to our survival. So one of the threats to our survival was being kicked out of the group.

What might get you kicked out? Standing out in some way, saying something offensive or stupid, or not performing up to expectations.

Fast forward a millennia or two and some of us, having considered our experiences of the world so far and the feedback we have been given from parents and teachers, those adults who we trust to mirror the world for us, have influenced our understanding of how things work and lead us to assume that talent and skill are part of who we are and what we were born with, we conclude that they are within a fixed range – and so we develop an entity theory of intelligence or a fixed mindset.

Now, Imagine you are in the staff room or board room, ready to present your new idea, your proposal for change. You might not consciously be aware of it, but in the background, your brain is on high alert because this is a potentially threatening situation. In a millisecond it considers all the possible negative consequences * Starting with, If ….you say something stupid, and ending up with the worst case scenario* ……YOU MIGHT DIE!

We are hard wired to work towards acceptance because acceptance usually means survival.

In prehistoric times, being part of a group was essential to our survival. So one of the threats to our survival was being kicked out of the group.

What might get you kicked out? Standing out in some way, saying something offensive or stupid, or not performing up to expectations.

Fast forward a millennia or two and some of us, having considered our experiences of the world so far and the feedback we have been given from parents and teachers, those adults who we trust to mirror the world for us, have influenced our understanding of how things work and lead us to assume that talent and skill are part of who we are and what we were born with, we conclude that they are within a fixed range – and so we develop an entity theory of intelligence or a fixed mindset.

Now, Imagine you are in the staff room or board room, ready to present your new idea, your proposal for change. You might not consciously be aware of it, but in the background, your brain is on high alert because this is a potentially threatening situation. In a millisecond it considers all the possible negative consequences * Starting with, If ….you say something stupid, and ending up with the worst case scenario* ……YOU MIGHT DIE!

Possible core beliefs in a fixed mindset

To survive I must get things rightTo survive I must get things right

I will be accepted if I get things rightI will be accepted if I get things right

If I am accepted it is easier to surviveIf I am accepted it is easier to survive

Core beliefs, assumptions on which I base my reality;

1.To survive I must get things right.

2. I will be accepted if I get things right

Sometimes things go

wrong

Then I strongly prefer trying things I am confident I will

succeed at

I often blame others when

things go wrong

I am difficult to work withI hope, in doing

so, to avoid being blamed

If I must not get anything wrong

I also actively avoid things

that I might fail at

I am unlikely to reach my potential

Does this sound like anyone you have to work with ?

Assumptions colour our interpretations and influence behaviour

I can alwaysimproveSkills are

malleable

Intelligence Is malleable

My choicesand behaviours reflect my assumptions about life.

Growthmindset


Growth

• I want to make sure I develop and grow• I believe my abilities can improve with effort• Failure means I am not fulfilling my potential • Failure means it didn’t work this time• I am interested in the process as well as the

outcome• I seek challenges that will develop me• I learn from mistakes and setbacks


‘you did very well without even trying’copy right Debi Roberts 2012

One of the surprising ideas to come from mind-set theory and of huge significance to parents and educators around the world is the consideration that the way we phrase our praise and comfort talks can actually be detrimental.

Our caring comments, when logically unpicked, can suggest that the student has permanent traits and its these that are being judged or valued. However, if these are permanent traits, then it is unlikely the student can do anything about them, they either have them or they don’t.

That being the case, you can see why they may conclude that there is not much they can do about things that are permanent and if they cant do anything about them then there is no need to try. And voila – another fixed mindset is born.

So what type of phrasing could inadvertently enhance a fixed mindset?

One of the surprising ideas to come from mind-set theory and of huge significance to parents and educators around the world is the consideration that the way we phrase our praise and comfort talks can actually be detrimental.

Our caring comments, when logically unpicked, can suggest that the student has permanent traits and its these that are being judged or valued. However, if these are permanent traits, then it is unlikely the student can do anything about them, they either have them or they don’t.

That being the case, you can see why they may conclude that there is not much they can do about things that are permanent and if they cant do anything about them then there is no need to try. And voila – another fixed mindset is born.

So what type of phrasing could inadvertently enhance a fixed mindset?

You are such a clever boy you wont find this difficult at all You are such a clever boy you wont find this difficult at all


‘Alim, you did that so easily, you are such a clever boy.’

If I am a clever boy

I don’t have to try to do well

“You learned that so quickly! You’re so smart!”

“Look at this photo. You could be the next Hockney!”

“You’ve done a brilliant job, you got an ‘A’ without much effort at all!”

- “If I don’t learn something quickly, I’m not smart.”

- “I am not going to take any more complicated photos or they’ll see I’m not actually that talented.”

- “I don’t have to try that hard – and if something is really hard I wont bother.”


What might work better?

Every word and action sends a message. It tells our kids, our students andour colleagues what we really think about them and how they should think about themselves.

We now have to consider how to rephrase our helpful comments so they are just that – helpful. And they are helpful when they suggest a developingperson and that you are interested in their progression and how they applythemselves.

Dweck suggests that the implied emphasis should be connected to the effortand the continued journey, which in turn develops a sense that the student can always work on things and improve - and so our comments can supportothers to develop self-efficacy.

Regardless of the outcome ……..


‘You have put so much effort in to this’

‘I really value how hard you have worked.’

How do you think you canimprove on this ?

What can you learn from this experience for next time?

Using TOC, a methodology that enhances our thinking AND deepens our ability to reason, Ihave come to believe that there are twoadditional mindsets equally important to education because they also filter people’s perceptions and experiences and unconsciously drive behaviour, decision making, and ultimately mental and physical health.

SCARCITY MINDSET

Win-win mindset


Dweck 2006 Dweck 2006

Roberts 2012 Roberts 2012


Scarcity mindsets believe that non physical as well as physical resources are limited, and can even get used up.

SCARCITY MINDSET

The fear is there might not be enough for me

If resources are limited …

Achievements Physical Emotional

For me to do wellyou must do less well

For me to be popular youmust be less popular

For me to have more you must have less

Assumption = Resources are limited

and resources can be

but what if resources include non-physicalcomponents?


Mindsets can effect

Individuals Groups Organisations


Scarcity mind-sets can negatively effect – individuals, groups and organisations. And what we have learnt from Dweck’s work is that our mind-set as a teacher, manager or leader flows through our words and interactions

and influences the development of a similar mind-set in those we have responsibility for.

We mirror our own internal position to the people we are nurturing, and so the cycle continues.

Scarcity mind-sets can negatively effect – individuals, groups and organisations. And what we have learnt from Dweck’s work is that our mind-set as a teacher, manager or leader flows through our words and interactions

and influences the development of a similar mind-set in those we have responsibility for.

We mirror our own internal position to the people we are nurturing, and so the cycle continues.


Lets just take a moment to remind ourselves, Mindsets are the paradigms in which we exist that effect what you see and colour all your experiences …. They become the way you measure and engage with the world.

Dr.Goldratt (1996), said paradigms are ‘sets of assumptions we believe are valid. We go through ‘paradigm shift' when we realise one or more of our assumptions are no longer valid’

Shift happens! …. Well shift can happen, but it seems we may need to explore our assumptions for it to do so.

Mindsets and paradigms can be transcended. They are doors of knowledge which can keep us in one place or can lead us to a new experience. Once opened they are hard to shut. But they can also be subject to circular logic, or the ‘Rumsfeld dilemma’ – we don’t know what we don’t know!

Which makes finding the door to a ‘new’ way of thinking seem pretty hard to find sometimes.

Lets just take a moment to remind ourselves, Mindsets are the paradigms in which we exist that effect what you see and colour all your experiences …. They become the way you measure and engage with the world.

Dr.Goldratt (1996), said paradigms are ‘sets of assumptions we believe are valid. We go through ‘paradigm shift' when we realise one or more of our assumptions are no longer valid’

Shift happens! …. Well shift can happen, but it seems we may need to explore our assumptions for it to do so.

Mindsets and paradigms can be transcended. They are doors of knowledge which can keep us in one place or can lead us to a new experience. Once opened they are hard to shut. But they can also be subject to circular logic, or the ‘Rumsfeld dilemma’ – we don’t know what we don’t know!

Which makes finding the door to a ‘new’ way of thinking seem pretty hard to find sometimes.

For our organisation to do well we must be better than the others

in our field

Success = proving I am

smart or talented

I want to make sure I succeed

I am interested in outcomes


Now. Lets imagine someone with a fixed or scarcity mindset, or joy of joys....both! They do walk amongst us, they are our peers and colleagues, mmm, they are quite likely to be our boss! They have worked hard to prove they are the best, their identity depends on it. HOWEVER, are they great to work with? are they great at developing others? Are they truly inspirational leaders? Are they liked just as much as they are respected? Do they bring out the best in themselves and others? Do they leave a place better than they found it ? – not so much! And you know what ? No matter how wonderful we know we are, we may even recognise one or two elements of these mindsets in ourselves. How do we manage and progress everyone in our team regardless of their mindsets ?

Now. Lets imagine someone with a fixed or scarcity mindset, or joy of joys....both! They do walk amongst us, they are our peers and colleagues, mmm, they are quite likely to be our boss! They have worked hard to prove they are the best, their identity depends on it. HOWEVER, are they great to work with? are they great at developing others? Are they truly inspirational leaders? Are they liked just as much as they are respected? Do they bring out the best in themselves and others? Do they leave a place better than they found it ? – not so much! And you know what ? No matter how wonderful we know we are, we may even recognise one or two elements of these mindsets in ourselves. How do we manage and progress everyone in our team regardless of their mindsets ?

Setting and Achieving Goals


Self Regulation and Mindsets


For our organisation to do well we must be better than the others

in our field

Success = proving I am

smart or talented

I want to make sure I succeed

I am interested in outcomes


In a group situation, the TOC tool, the Ambitious Target Tree can create focused collaboration that exploits the very thing that makes group projects so hard – different needs and opinions. This is because it taps into one of the favourite pastimes of colleagues with fixed and or scarcity mindsets – showing why they know this goal cant work or why we shouldn’t even try. As the tool asks us to surface as many obstacles to our goal as we can think of, this is perfect, particularly as we are likely to have a substantial gene pool predisposed to surfacing all the reasons why this wont work or is unlikely to work, or possible negative ramifications they can predict from implementing this goal.

Legitimately sharing obstacles to a goal has other benefits too. Aside from showing respect for everyone’s opinion, it ensures that obstacles that otherwise could go undetected are addressed and because you have allowed protagonists to be part of the troubleshooting process, they are much more likely to buy in to the overall process because they have contributed to the solution. And what people contribute to they usually will buy in to.

In a group situation, the TOC tool, the Ambitious Target Tree can create focused collaboration that exploits the very thing that makes group projects so hard – different needs and opinions. This is because it taps into one of the favourite pastimes of colleagues with fixed and or scarcity mindsets – showing why they know this goal cant work or why we shouldn’t even try. As the tool asks us to surface as many obstacles to our goal as we can think of, this is perfect, particularly as we are likely to have a substantial gene pool predisposed to surfacing all the reasons why this wont work or is unlikely to work, or possible negative ramifications they can predict from implementing this goal.

Legitimately sharing obstacles to a goal has other benefits too. Aside from showing respect for everyone’s opinion, it ensures that obstacles that otherwise could go undetected are addressed and because you have allowed protagonists to be part of the troubleshooting process, they are much more likely to buy in to the overall process because they have contributed to the solution. And what people contribute to they usually will buy in to.


Ego threats refer to any ‘events or communication that have unfavourable implications about the self.’ Fixed mindsets (FM) often react badly to ego threats because they fear it risks exposing them as failures. Research also shows us that ego threats negatively impact FM belief in their ability.

Scarcity mindsets will have similar reactions driven by the fear that resources are limited and if they are nor performing well, someone else will fill that void.

Growth mindsets on the other hand tend to be more resilient and more likely to interpret ego threats as part of the struggle and an obstacle to be overcome before mastery can be achieved. Therefore more often than not, GM’s remain optimistic unlike their fixed mindset colleagues who interpret ego threats as ‘proof’ they lack ability and their Scarcity colleagues who feel under attack because there cannot be two winners, and they can’t win if you are questioning their skills / ability / commitment etc

How can we flip these negative reactions so they becomes useful?

Ego threats refer to any ‘events or communication that have unfavourable implications about the self.’ Fixed mindsets (FM) often react badly to ego threats because they fear it risks exposing them as failures. Research also shows us that ego threats negatively impact FM belief in their ability.

Scarcity mindsets will have similar reactions driven by the fear that resources are limited and if they are nor performing well, someone else will fill that void.

Growth mindsets on the other hand tend to be more resilient and more likely to interpret ego threats as part of the struggle and an obstacle to be overcome before mastery can be achieved. Therefore more often than not, GM’s remain optimistic unlike their fixed mindset colleagues who interpret ego threats as ‘proof’ they lack ability and their Scarcity colleagues who feel under attack because there cannot be two winners, and they can’t win if you are questioning their skills / ability / commitment etc

How can we flip these negative reactions so they becomes useful?

And mindsetsAnd mindsets

How can we limit ego threats?

If we can understand the personal ‘need’(influenced by the mindset) that has to be met or protected, we can phrase our goals so they resonate deeply and do not cause a conflict with internal triggers.

Transformation of a team is a symbiotic process that is mosteffective when we recognise the value of developing the whole as well as the individual. Each will impact the other. Understanding mindsets can further this development. I have found using TOC for group and individual analysis (whether used for internal or external problems) resonates for all regardless of their mindsets and enhances outcomes significantly as it provides a non confrontational platform to explore problems and create solutions.


Neuroplasticity


As someone primarily interested in behaviour, and who has personally struggled to override thefixed and scarcity mindset input I grew up with, I think an important understanding Mindset Theory gives us, is that our self image and our world view point is just as malleable as our intelligence and skills set. And I think most religions and philosophies speak to the notion that, ‘As we speak so shall it be’.

As someone primarily interested in behaviour, and who has personally struggled to override thefixed and scarcity mindset input I grew up with, I think an important understanding Mindset Theory gives us, is that our self image and our world view point is just as malleable as our intelligence and skills set. And I think most religions and philosophies speak to the notion that, ‘As we speak so shall it be’.


I win you win

Win win thinking may be the greatest legacy of TOC thinking processes, it provides a scaffold for those with growth and win

win mindsets and a robust process and safety net for those with fixed and scarcity mindsets.

Roberts 2013 Roberts 2013


50-100% 50-100%

“If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them."

~ Bruce Lee copy right Debi Roberts 2012

[email protected]

References• Covey, S. (2011) The Third Alternative• Demming, (1993) The New Economics For Industry, Government &

Education. • Dwek, C. (2006) Mindsets• Goldratt, E. (1996) The Goal• Goleman, D.(2006) Emotional Intelligence• Mengels et al, (2006) Why do beliefs about intelligence influence learning

success? A social cognitive neuroscience model• Moser, Shroder, Heeter, moran &,Lee, (2011) Mind your errors: Evidence

for a neural mechanism linking growth mindset to adaptive post-error adjustments.

• Murphy & Ensher, (2006) The Effects of Leader and Subordinate Characteristics in the Development of Leader–Member Exchange Quality

• Naisbitt, J. (2006). Mind Set


mindsets: how toc might extend dweck’s original work. debi roberts ma ed copy right debi roberts...

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low ei

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