Joy Infuses a Growth Mindset into Your Culture
Jan 05, 2025
You know that feeling when something just clicks?
Like when you experience a team transform from going-through-the-motions to lighting up with energy?
This magic happened as a supervisor in a Tennessee manufacturing plant handled what could have been just another mistake. Instead of the usual "fix it and move on," he asked his team member, "What can we learn from this?"
That simple question changed everything. The situation's polarity shifted instantly from negative to positive. The team member's reaction transformed from "Am I going to lose my job?" to "How can I grow?"
Here's what fascinates me: joy predicts performance.
My friend Josh Freedman, CEO of 6seconds.org, discovered this through his research. Not metrics. Not deadlines. Not even financial incentives.
Joy is the number one predictor of high-performing teams.
Let that sink in for a moment.
When's the last time you experienced real joy at work?
Not just satisfaction, but genuine joy?
Joy is about more than just feeling good. It's about growing together as a team.
Maria, a retail leader, started what she calls "Learning Fridays." Every Friday, she gathers her team to ask one simple question: "What's one thing you learned this week?"
After six months of "Learning Fridays," her store led the region in both sales and employee satisfaction.
Simple practice. Powerful results.
Here's why it works: When you combine joy with learning, you create growth momentum. Your team starts to look for things to learn because they know Friday's coming.
They see what they look for.
Joy multiplies when they find it.
Want to infuse the joy of a growth mindset into your culture?
Here are three power moves to implement today:
1. Start meetings with joy shares.
Ask, “What brings you joy in your work?” Or another way to ask it is, “What did you enjoy most about your work last week?”
Your goal is to prompt team members to acknowledge work can be joyful and that your culture promotes it.
2. Create daily learning moments.
Make it safe to share mistakes and victories. The two most often travel together. Make a mistake. Learn from it.
As a leader, you do well to go first. Acknowledge your learning experience without glossing over the mistake. Get transparent. Watch the relief and release teammates express as they realize you do it, too.
3. Celebrate small wins immediately.
Postponing celebration defers the learning. Avoid waiting for the big wins to celebrate. Throw a party now, while the memory is fresh. This immediacy secures the learning for the team and their behavior transformation occurs more quickly.
Remember: A growth mindset culture grows one experience at a time. Avoid the temptation to overhaul everything at once. Instead, Do One Thing today that shows a growth mindset matters.
Pick one of these actions and do it consistently for the next five workdays:
- Start each meeting with "What did we learn?"
- Share something you're working on to improve.
- Ask a team member what they'd like to learn next.
- Celebrate someone's progress.
Watch the team transform to peak performance as you combine joy with a growth mindset.
Monday can be as meaningful as Friday when you lead with joy and grow together.
What’s your question about how to create a positive work culture? Ask Dr. Joey here.
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