An Innovator’s Mindset, the second Essential Condition for Sustainable Innovation, builds on Carol Dweck’s work studying the growth
mindset. What is a growth mindset? First, I’ll explain what it isn’t – fixed. When someone has a fixed mindset, according to Dweck, he/she believes certain traits, such as intelligence and talent are either present or they aren’t. Conversely, someone with a growth mindset believes he/she can develop abilities through hard work and dedication. Think about the implications. If a student believes they aren’t intelligent or a teacher believes they aren’t innovative, what will they achieve? It can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The most important take-away from Dweck’s work: a growth mindset creates a love of learning and resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. George enhanced this idea (Innovation) and developed what is needed to transform education today: The Innovator’s Mindset.
The Innovator’s Mindset is the belief that abilities, intelligence, and talents are developed so they lead to the creation of new and better ideas. – George Couros
I created my own innovation, The Essential Conditions for Sustainable Innovation fuse the work of Judith E. Glaser (Conversational Intelligence), George Couros (Innovator’s Mindset), and a few other well-respected leaders (Michael Stabile, Joe Sanfelippo, and Tony Sinanis). The Essential Conditions set the stage for innovation to continue into perpetuity versus feeling like a “flavor of the month.” A culture of trust whether it is in the classroom, building, or district, creates a feeling of safety where the Innovator’s Mindset can flourish.
“Build the culture, nurture the mindset.” #sustainableinnovation
To help bring these concepts to life, read the examples of self-talk for each of the mindsets from the view of a student, teacher, and administrator.
Self Talk Examples for Students:
Fixed Mindset: “I wish I could, but I can’t because I’m not smart enough.”
Growth Mindset: “I’m going to Google it, so I can figure it out!”
Innovator’s Mindset: “I found this on Google and think we can make it better with a little tweak.”
Self Talk Examples for Teachers:
Fixed Mindset: “I can’t innovate in my classroom. I don’t even understand technology.”
Growth Mindset: “I need to play with some of these resources, so I can learn to use them in the classroom!”
Innovator’s Mindset: “I saw a cool idea on Twitter and can’t wait to talk to my team and discuss how we can build on this idea to make it work for our students.”
Self Talk Examples for Administrators:
Fixed Mindset: “These teachers are the innovative ones but the rest of the staff will never get it. Once they retire, we can hire more innovative teachers.”
Growth Mindset: “I want to take teachers that aren’t innovating on a site visit, so they can see innovation in action. I know they have an innovator inside of them and it is my job to inspire them to find it.”
Innovator’s Mindset: “I’m going to do a book study of Innovator’s Mindset and work with my staff to come up with some innovations we can infuse in our building and classrooms.”
Any curriculum is usually “what” you teach, but the “innovation” happens in how you teach. – George Couros
Interview with George Couros
Since the Innovator’s Mindset is an Essential Condition for Sustainable Innovation (an innovation which took multiple ideas to create something new), I felt that an interview with the author of the Innovator’s Mindset would help readers gain a better understanding! See George’s answer to my questions:
Christine: Explain how innovation can improve achievement versus detract from it?
George: A lot of people when they hear the word “innovation” when it pertains to education, think that this is separate from how students do on curriculum and measurements that are being used. The reality is that if you look at your curriculum, there are ways that educators can bring these ideas to life. Any curriculum is usually “what” you teach, but the “innovation” happens in how you teach. I was challenged on this and someone said that “innovation” is not in the curriculum, and my response was “neither are worksheets”. Not only can we bring what we teach to life, so many skills are developed when we think in new and better ways to serve our learner. The hope is that they will go way beyond “doing well” in school, but being able to adapt and create as they go on through life.
Christine: What is one easy change leaders and teachers can make to adopt the Innovator’s Mindset?
George: Ask questions…a lot of them. Be curious and look at things that we have become numb to. I think seeking to understand and create, and wanting to create something better, is an initial step to developing this mindset.
Christine: I designed The Essential Conditions for Sustainable Innovation and The Sustainable Innovation Framework to help spark innovation in a ground-up fashion. My goal is to help as many students as possible enjoy their educational experience and for teachers to enjoy the art of teaching. What drove you to create the Innovator’s Mindset?
George: The same thing. I wanted people to not only see that innovation in education is not only reserved for the few, but many people are already being innovative already, they just don’t recognize it in themselves. Every year, your curriculum might stay the same, but your students always change. How we serve them each year will also need to adapt and change. Being an innovator is not something that we hope for, but it is essential to the growth of education as a whole.
Christine: When hiring new staff, what questions or performance tasks do you ask/use to ensure he/she has an Innovator’s Mindset? What would you ask a potential employer to ensure the organization has an Innovator’s Mindset?
George: There are several questions that I asked, but I think the biggest one is this; “Would you want to be a learner in your own classroom, and if so, tell me about the experience from a student’s point of view?” That question will help a great deal in getting to understand how any educator sees their role and what they create for students. As someone who is a potential employer, I would want to know their vision for education, and how they develop people as leaders. If we are going to be “innovators”, we are going to need ownership and the ability to create solutions as we need them, not have to jump through hoops and deal with red tape.
How can we get there? See the 8 Characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset, created by George Couros. Reflect on the characteristics, print it out, make it your computer desktop background. Awareness and intentionality move you forward. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t had the Innovator’s Mindset in the past, tomorrow is a new day. Develop yourself and inspire others.
Tech Hack: Be bold. Have confidence and learn from those who know. Years ago, getting in touch with an author meant that you sent them a letter and hope to receive a response back. Today, getting authentic feedback is only a tweet or email away. I sent George Couros a Google Doc with some questions on Monday and by Friday, I had my interview questions answered. The entire week, I have to admit, I felt a little endorphin rush when he responded. Drop the mic. Anyone can reach out to anyone today; the world is truly flat and the opportunities, endless.
Tech Hack: Interested in doing a book study in your building or district? Contact Shelley Burgess of DBC for bulk orders. David Knapp, a colleague of mine in the Cincinnati area gamified his book study. It is AWESOME! Reach out to David (@KnappTimeDK) and he will gladly share it! Take it and modify it; practice and model the Innovator’s Mindset!
Sources:
“Mindset | What is Mindset.” http://mindsetonline.com/whatisit/about/.
“8 Characteristics of the “Innovator’s Mindset” – The Principal of Change.” 16 Sep. 2014, http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/4783.
Couros, George. The Innovator’s Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting, 2015. Print.