Introducing "Food for Thought" #35. The formula is simple: three short messages once a week to feed your mind.
Motivation
Why value effort over skill?
Recognizing a person's skills can be detrimental to motivation and performance, while the opposite effect occurs when effort is recognized. Someone who is told "you work hard, you're determined, you hang in there when it's tough" is more likely to succeed and accept new challenges than someone else who is told "you're good at finance, you have an excellent memory, you're smart, you're a good speaker, etc.".
So, to make your team members shine even brighter, use effort-related phrases such as:
- you never let go
- you always find a good way to do it
- you know how to manage, even in adversity
- you hang in there when it's hard
- you overcome challenges
- I love that you carry on despite adversity
- you worked hard on this project, bravo
If you reward effort, you encourage the person to develop a growth mindset. This means believing in one's ability to develop one's toolbox and take on new challenges.
Source: Carol Dweck & Andrew Huberman
Leadership
Accept the hand that's extended to you
No one reaches the top solo, not even renowned athletes such as Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. At some point along the way, we all face adversity. Often, when you go through these dark times, hands reach out to you. The real question is: do you have the humility to recognize that you need help, and accept to hold on to that helping hand?
Management
Adaptability is more important than plan
"Agree to change the how to better serve the why."
- Sébastien Sasseville
