Book Review: Mindset by Carol Dweck

Mindset: How You Can Fulfil Your Potential by Carol Dweck 

This is a seminal work which all teachers and coaches should read.  First published in the US in 2006, it took a surprising additional six years to have a UK edition which is perhaps surprising, given the importance of the work

Based on her extensive experiments in psychology and motivation, Dweck identifies two different "mindsets", which she sees as underlying attitudes to talent, ability and endeavour.  There is conclusive evidence that children who are praised for having high ability (being "clever" or "talented") adopt a different perception of themselves from those praised for trying hard. Kids who think their ability is fixed - or pre-determined genetically, and therefore not susceptible to change- are reluctant to stretch themselves for fear of failure and the risk of losing the label of being talented.  Her research shows that children praised for endeavour develop a "growth mindset" in which they believe that abilities can be developed through effort and the application of appropriate strategies. There is extensive, and compelling, evidence presented to support this view.

Research also shows that labelling pupils as being able or otherwise influences teachers' expectation of them.  Where teachers believe that ability is fixed, their aspirations for pupils' achievements are revised downwards - and pupil performance lives down to this. Examples are given of extraordinary progress from unpromising beginnings when teachers believe that capacities can be developed through application and endeavour

The are clear applications for sports coaching.  Praising children for their ability, and telling them that they are talented is likely to impact upon their confidence and motivation, making both more fragile.  They are less likely to risk pushing themselves, in case it results in the loss of their status. They are also prone to be less receptive to coaching and hard work, as their belief is that they have talent - and that trying hard is more applicable to people with less ability than them.  Praising hard work and practice strategies is a reward that performers need not risk losing.  This can lead to a diligent application to practice and development which is at he heart if all high performance.  Much of this appears counter intuitive.  Dweck suggests that the unintended consequence of trying to boost performer confidence through praise of the wrong sort may actually make that confidence more fragile

Fixed mindset coaches see the success of their teams as a personal judgement on themselves and their coaching.  This is inclined to make them very win oriented, as their personal judgement of themselves is reflected in the team.  Examples are presented where this impacts negatively on the way coaches treat players, and creates a negative atmosphere based on fear of failure.

This is too important a book for teachers and coaches to ignore.  Its message of the impact of praise and recognition goes to the heart of the way education operates.  Quite simply, it changes the way readers think about the whole process of reinforcement.  An essential read for all who seek to improve performance and achievement - including their own.