Mindset Works Inc.

Your team will become exactly who you perceive them to be.

The research shows that when people feel they’re being judged against a label, their performance actually drops because the mental energy used to fight that label is energy taken away from the work.

This phenomenon is called Stereotype Threat and these findings were a result of examining if the social belief that boys are better at math than girls, is actually true. Turned out, when girls were primed with a statement that read “this test has shown gender differences in the past,” that suggestion alone was enough to tank their performance. Without that priming they performed equally as well as their male counterparts.

Instead:

1. Do a quick audit: What is the first word that comes to mind for each team member? Is it growth-oriented or fixed?

2. Challenge your perceptions: Actively look for evidence that contradicts the labels you’ve given people.

3. Adjust your language: replace “They aren’t good at X” with “They are currently developing their skills in X.”