Categories: Leadership

5 Actionable Steps to Promote a Growth Mindset in Your Workplace

One of the most powerful things a leader can do is cultivate an environment where growth, not perfection, is the standard. A fixed mindset, where employees believe their intelligence, skills, and abilities are set in stone, can hinder innovation, collaboration, and individual confidence. Employees with a fixed mindset often avoid challenges, fear failure, and feel threatened by others’ success.

In contrast, a growth mindset encourages continuous development. Team members understand they can improve with effort, feedback, and persistence. They embrace challenges, learn from setbacks, and stay motivated, even when the path isn’t easy. Most importantly, a growth mindset fosters inclusion by allowing us to see potential in people of all backgrounds, not just those who follow a conventional career path.

Here are five actionable steps to promote a growth mindset in your workplace, with examples to help you put these into practice:

Disclaimer: This blog has affiliate links. This means that, at no extra cost to you, if you so choose to participate in some of the learning opportunities here, we at Kyrabe Stories may receive a commission as gratitude from the partnering companies. Additionally, this blog post is a section from our book, She’s Meant to Lead, Chapter 7: Setting the Example for a Diverse Environment, that has been edited and expanded upon using AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to include more examples and action steps. Thank you sincerely for your support and for your desire to learn and grow!

1. Tie Performance Evaluation to Learning, Not Just Output

When evaluations focus solely on numerical output, employees may prioritize short-term wins over long-term growth. This can lead to burnout, cutting corners, or fear of innovation.

Instead, center evaluations around skill development and learning goals. Ask questions like:

What new skill did you pursue this quarter?
What feedback have you implemented recently?
What challenge taught you the most this month?

Example: At a mid-size tech startup, the team lead revises performance reviews to include a “learning growth” section. One software engineer, initially struggling with code optimization, receives mentorship and takes a short online course. By the next quarter, not only has her performance improved, but she also mentors new hires, bringing full-circle value to the team.

When employees see that learning and improvement are valued, they’re more motivated to take initiative, be vulnerable, and stay engaged.

2. Treat Successes and Failures as Learning Opportunities

Many work cultures punish failure, whether overtly through disciplinary action or subtly through silence and shame. This leads to cover-ups, reduced transparency, and loss of valuable insights.

To build trust, leaders must normalize failure as a stepping stone to success. This doesn’t mean tolerating negligence, but rather creating a space for reflection and resilience.

Example: A nonprofit manager shares a failed campaign during a monthly team meeting – not to assign blame, but to unpack what didn’t work. Together, the team identifies communication gaps and brainstorm improvements. When the next campaign launches, it hits record engagement, thanks to those lessons and honest feedback.

On the flip side, celebrate wins. Acknowledge individuals during team calls, write thank-you notes, or spotlight their contributions in newsletters. When people feel seen, they’re more likely to strive for excellence.

3. Give Employees the Chance to Speak

A growth mindset culture thrives when employees feel safe and empowered to voice their ideas, concerns, and aspirations. Leaders should encourage curiosity, questions, and suggestions from all levels.

Example: During quarterly planning, a team leader invites junior staff to present ideas. One intern pitches a small improvement to the customer feedback form by clarifying a quick time commitment and limiting the number of questions to the top few important ones. Implementing her changes increases the survey responses for the next quarter.

Make space for feedback loops, one-on-one meetings, and team huddles. Ask, “What’s one thing we could do better?” and really listen to the answers. When employees feel heard, they invest more of themselves into their work.

4. Invest in Upskilling

Many employees want to grow, but lack the time, money, or encouragement to do so. Leaders can remove these barriers by offering access to workshops, webinars, certifications, and mentorship.

Some managers worry that employees will “take their new skills and leave.” But the reality is: if you don’t invest in them, they might leave anyway.

Example: A retail manager notices one of her sales associates has a knack for social media. She encourages her to take a digital marketing course, paid for by the company. Within months, that employee is running the store’s Instagram, doubling online engagement, and is later promoted to marketing coordinator.

Upskilling doesn’t just boost competence; it shows employees that their development matters.

5. Support One-on-One and Cross-Domain Learning

Growth doesn’t happen in an isolated chamber. Leaders can also encourage employees to explore different domains, collaborate across departments, and learn directly from others.

Cross-domain learning helps employees understand the bigger picture and build interdisciplinary skills. One-on-one learning, such as shadowing or peer mentorship, deepens personal growth and builds connection.

Example: In a healthcare facility, a nurse expresses interest in administrative work. Her supervisor arranges for her to shadow the operations manager once a week. This exposure not only boosts the nurse’s confidence but also prepares her for a future transition into management.

If someone expresses interest in exploring new skills, even those outside their current role, support them. You may unlock hidden talent or retain a valuable employee who might have otherwise left in search of a new challenge.

Final Thoughts

Creating a growth-minded workplace starts with leadership. Your team takes cues from how you handle failure, how you speak about learning, and how you invest in others. Remember: people don’t grow in toxic environments, and they don’t stay where they feel stagnant.

As a leader, your job isn’t to have all the answers; it’s to cultivate a culture where curiosity, resilience, and effort are rewarded. When you build a team that believes they can grow, they will.

Time to lead on, one story at a time.

Kyrabe Stories