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This is the third and final post in our International Women’s Month series, and I’ve been thinking a lot about what ties it all together.
Katarina grounded us in how collective intelligence starts from within - how we think, process, and show up matters more than any system we put in place. Tyena reminded us that positivity isn’t fluff; it’s a real, neurological advantage that shapes how we perform, lead, and connect.
If I build on both of those, I keep coming back to one thing: growth isn’t something you declare. It’s something you practice - consistently, imperfectly, and often quietly. And as leaders, whether we realize it or not, we set the tone for what growth looks like in the room.
So here are four ways I’ve seen that mindset actually take root...and last.
Model curiosity, not certainty
This one sounds simple, but it’s harder than it looks. It’s easy, especially in leadership, to feel like you’re supposed to have all the answers. But the moment we start leading from certainty, we unintentionally shut down exploration. People stop asking questions. They play it safe. They wait for direction instead of thinking. Curiosity does the opposite.
It sounds like:
- “What are we missing?”
- “What would we try if we weren’t worried about getting it wrong?”
- “Help me understand how you’re seeing this.”
For me, this is personal. My younger brother’s brain injury changed how I understand learning at a fundamental level. Watching someone you love lose the ability to form and connect thoughts the way they once did, it makes you realize how extraordinary that capacity is. The ability to learn, adapt, make new connections…that’s not guaranteed. It’s something we get to use. So, I try not to take it for granted.
Curiosity isn’t just a leadership tactic. It’s a way of honoring that capacity, in ourselves and in others.
Normalize discomfort (without making it heavy)
Growth and comfort don’t really coexist. But that doesn’t mean growth has to feel overwhelming or dramatic. Some of the best teams I’ve been part of had an unspoken understanding: it’s okay to not have it all figured out yet. That “yet” matters.
In my yoga practice, this shows up all the time. You don’t force your way into a pose. You stay present with where you are, you breathe through the discomfort, and over time your body adapts. Strength builds. Flexibility follows. What once felt impossible becomes accessible. Work is no different.
As leaders, we can:
- Acknowledge when something is hard without rushing to fix it
- Create space for people to try, adjust, and try again
- Reinforce progress, not just outcomes
When people feel safe being in the “learning zone,” they stay engaged. When they feel like they have to already be there, they disengage.
Lead the conversation around change and don’t react to it
This feels especially relevant right now. AI is changing how we work, how we think, how we create. And I see two common reactions: fear or avoidance.
Neither really moves things forward. What I’ve found is that teams take their cues from leadership. If we approach change with hesitation or skepticism, that energy spreads quickly. If we approach it with openness and intention, that spreads too. This doesn’t mean ignoring risks or pretending everything is easy. It means choosing to engage with change instead of resisting it.
For me, AI isn’t something to compete with, it’s something to collaborate with. It expands what’s possible. It challenges us to think differently. And if we let it, it can actually sharpen our thinking rather than replace it. In turn, this frees us up to lean even more into what makes us human: judgment, empathy, creativity, connection. The opportunity isn’t just in using new tools. It’s in guiding how people experience that shift and making sure it stays grounded in the humans it’s meant to support.
Reinforce what you want to see
What gets recognized gets repeated. It’s that simple. But a lot of leaders wait too long, or only acknowledge big outcomes like wins, deals, finished projects. The problem is that growth mindset isn’t built in the outcome. It’s built in the behavior along the way.
Things like:
- Someone asking a thoughtful question that shifts the conversation
- A team member trying a new approach, even if it doesn’t land perfectly
- Someone admitting they don’t know and inviting input
Those are the moments that matter. If they go unnoticed, people quietly go back to what feels safe. If they’re acknowledged, even briefly, it signals, this is how we operate here.
I’ve learned this the hard way. Earlier in my career, I focused more on results than process. And while results matter, I started to notice something: people were getting more cautious, not more innovative. When I shifted to recognizing the thinking, the experimentation, the willingness to stretch - that’s when things opened up.
It doesn’t have to be big or formal. A quick:
- “That was a great question”
- “I appreciate you trying that”
- “That’s exactly the kind of thinking we need”
Those moments compound.
Bringing it all together
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that growth mindset isn’t about being endlessly optimistic or constantly pushing forward. It’s quieter than that. It’s in the questions you ask. The space you create. The way you respond when things don’t go as planned. And what you choose to reinforce along the way.
Maybe that’s why I don’t take it lightly - the ability to learn, adapt, and grow. It’s something we don’t always realize the value of until we see what it looks like when it’s gone.
Katarina showed us that it starts from within. Tyena showed us that our mindset shapes our outcomes. And I’d add this: as leaders, we make those things visible. People watch how we handle uncertainty. They notice whether we stay open or shut down. They feel whether growth is truly encouraged or just talked about.
So, if you’re wondering where to start, start small:
- Stay curious a little longer
- Let discomfort exist without rushing past it
- Choose to engage with change instead of pulling back
- And notice the moments worth reinforcing
That’s where real growth begins. Because growth doesn’t happen because we tell people to change. It happens when they feel safe enough and inspired enough to try.
Read Katarina’s blog post: here
Read Tyena’s blog post: here
