The Optimal Amount of Mistakes for Learning

1min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Comments

Transcript

Episode notes

Making mistakes is crucial for learning and innovation as they provide lessons and opportunities to update our strategies. The optimal amount of mistakes to enhance learning and performance is found to be around 15%, as it indicates pushing oneself, avoiding playing it too safe, and actively engaging in the learning process.

Dr. Mary C. Murphy explains the downsides to the culture of genius—and shares an alternative path for transforming individuals, teams, and organizations.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) The biggest misconceptions about the growth mindset

2) The optimal number of mistakes to make

3) How to deal with the four situations that trigger a fixed mindset

Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep967 for clickable versions of the links below.

— ABOUT MARY —

Mary C. Murphy is the Herman B Wells Endowed Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University, Founding Director of the Summer Institute on Diversity at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, and Founder and CEO of the Equity Accelerator, a research and consulting organization that works with schools and companies to create more equitable learning and working environments through social and behavioral science.

Murphy is the author of more than 100 publications and in 2019, was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest award bestowed on early career scholars by the U.S. government. She is also an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her research has been profiled in The New York Times, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Scientific American, and NPR, among other outlets.

Originally from San Antonio, Texas, she earned her BA from the University of Texas at Austin and her PhD in social psychology from Stanford University in 2007, mentored by Claude Steele and Carol Dweck. She splits her time between Bloomington, Indiana, and Palo Alto, California.

Mary’s new book on organizational mindset, Cultures of Growth: How the New Science of Mindset Can Transform Individuals, Teams, and Organizations is available now.

• Book: Cultures of Growth: How the New Science of Mindset Can Transform Individuals, Teams, and Organizations

• Assessment: Mindset Triggers Assessment

• Substack: Culture Catalyst with Mary C. Murphy

• Website: MaryCMurphy.com

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Article: “The Magic Relationship Ratio, According to Science” by Kyle Benson

• Storytelling Coach: Kymberlee Weil

• Book: Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well by Amy Edmondson

• Book: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

• Past episode: 960: Surfacing Hidden Wisdom for Huge Breakthroughs: A Masterclass in Asking with Jeff Wetzler

— THANK YOU, SPONSORS! —

• Acorns. Start saving and investing for your future today with Acorns.com/awesome