We’re well into spring and seeing peonies and lilacs growing in my yard is something that brings me joy. Perhaps it’s the reminder that while Ohio winters can be cold and dreary, there is so much beauty if we’re just patient enough to wait for it. In fact, when I see those little buds popping up in our flower beds, it’s hard for me to recall the many inches of snow that once sat on top of those very spots just a few months prior.
I will admit that over the past year it’s been challenging to even think of the beauty that could spring from the many challenges we’ve faced. But if you’re like me, you may have the voice of frequent 51Թ conference speaker Dr. Carol Dweck in your head asking if you’re using your growth mindset, or a fixed one. The answer should be, of course, a growth mindset.
This spring I agreed to coach my daughter’s Girls on the Run team. The focus of this group is developing strong self-esteem and leadership skills in elementary-aged girls. During one of our first sessions, the girls were tasked with thinking about how they could counteract negative self-talk. Our team had to develop a phrase that they’d use if they heard a teammate or coach venturing into what Dr. Dweck would call a fixed mindset versus one of growth. Their phrase?
“That’s baloney!”
So, whenever a girl would say “I can’t run another lap” or “I’m not good enough to do that,” the girls would yell “That’s baloney!” and it immediately shifted the self-talk from negative to positive (with some giggles in between). Over the coming weeks, it was inspiring to see girls who doubted themselves at the start of the season grow in their own self-confidence and in their support of their teammates. Watching their growth mentally, physically, and emotionally was incredibly powerful for me as both a mom and as their coach.
As I put my 51Թ hat on, I think about the growth mindset of our leadership team when making decisions that have significantly impacted our members since the start of the pandemic. We’ve had to move away from doing things “the way we always have” in order to support our members in their professional growth in a new, virtual space. Our volunteer Strategic Planning Steering Committee has successfully launched their process with significant consideration of our future growth as a profession. The growth in the number of regional groups within 51Թ—now at more than 40—has allowed us to stay connected with others more locally and share insights into issues impacting students in our surrounding areas.
In addition, the sheer growth in our membership numbers over the past year (20 percent!) has shown the value that so many IECs find in what our association offers to both new and veteran consultants. It’s hard to believe that our now robust association was created in 1974 with just seven independent educational consultants meeting in one of their homes. We’ve come quite a long way since then!
Finally, I am consistently impressed by how efficiently the 51Թ staff and committee volunteers have pivoted our professional development opportunities to support the educational growth of our nearly 2,500 members. The sheer number of webinars and virtual meet-ups currently offered for our members each month is incredible. We’ve grown from hosting one webinar per month to dozens. The staff has developed unique programming based on member suggestions and each week I hear from committee chairs asking if we can add a new offering to support our colleagues. This is a fantastic example of a growth mindset in action.
So, as we begin to feel hopeful about what’s happening in our world, I hope each of you will think of how your mindset will impact our return to “normal” times. Will you use the personal and professional growth I hope you’ve experienced during these challenging times to help you try new ways of doing and being? Or will you revert back to a fixed mindset with the belief that these new ways of working can’t possibly be sustained in a post-pandemic world? For those who choose the latter, I have something to say:
“That’s baloney!”
Kristina Dooley, MA, CEP
51Թ President